VA 

70 

.P8 

F3 

1876 


775-  i«75' 

CSei\tei|i\ikl    Si^tofy 


OF    THE 


Mt%  Auu  imi 


AT 


PORTSMOUTH,  N.  H. 


PUBLISHED  BY  PERMISSION  OF  THE  BUREAU  OF  YARDS  AND 
DOCKS,  NAVY  DEPARTMENT, 

BY 

AA/ALTER  E.  H.  FENTRESS, 

LATE  AN  OFFICER  IN  THE  VOL.  NAVY. 


PORTSMOUTH: 

O.   M.   KNIGHT,   PUBLISHER. 

1876. 


/&'^ 


DEDICATED 

TO 

COMMODORE    JOHN    C.    HOWELL,    U.  S.  N. 

CHIEF  OF  THE  BUREAU  OF  YARDS  AND  DOCKS, 

JYavy  DepartiYient- 

W^A.  SlillSTG-TOIN,     ~n  .     C. 


BOSTON  COLLEGE 


Entered  aecordino^  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  office  of  the 
Librarian  at  Washington,  April  10,  1876. 


PREFACE. 


Having  been  engaged  during  the  past  year  in  collecting  material 
preparatory  to  a  history  of  the  Navy  Yard  at  Portsmouth,  for  the  use 
of  the  Bureau  of  Yards  and  Docks,  and  having  been  successful  be- 
yond my  most  sanguine  expectations  in  procuring  much,  which  was 
thought  buried  beyond  recovery,  I  asked  and  received  permission  to 
use  the  same  matter,  in  publishing  this  little  pamphlet  for  circulation 
in  this  vicinity. 

I  do  not  claim  any  originality  in  its  compilation,  for  I  have  culled 
from  every  authentic  source,  particularly  from  the  records  of  the  Com- 
mandants Office,  which  date  back  seventy-tive  years;  and  from  the 
State  Papers  of  one  hundred  years  ago.  Among  the  authorities  con- 
sulted, and  quoted,  are  :  Adams  Annals,  Champlain  Papers,  Records 
of  York  County,  state  documents  of  'New  Hampshire,  James'  History 
of  the  British  Navy,  Abbot's  Maine,  Life  of  Admiral  Lord  Exmouth, 
Royal  Naval  Chronicle  1794,  Goldborough's  Hist,  of  the  Navy,  Coop- 
er's Naval  History,  Sherburne's  life  of  Paul  Jones,  Emmon's  Vessels 
of  the  Navy,  etc.,  etc. 

In  thus  collecting  and  arranging  records,  anecdotes,  statistics,  etc., 
I  have  endeavored  to  bring  up  some  old  incidents  which  in  these  days 
of  Centennial  rejoicings  may  be  received  with  pleasure. 

The  prominent  part  taken  by  this  port,  in  the  early  Naval  History 
of  our  country,  adds  much  to  the  interest  felt  in  the  perusal  of  these 
pages. 

I  am  deeply  indebted  to  Mr.  B.  F.  Chandler,  Civil  Eng.  U.  S.  N.,  for 
many  incidents  connected  with  the  Yards  and  Buildings,  and  also  to 
the  Hon.  Mark  Dennett  of  Kittery  for  much  valuable  information, 
which  his  long  life  of  92  years  in  this  vicinity  has  rendered  him  pre-em- 
inently able  to  give. 

To  other  gentlemen  who  have  kindly  alForded  me  assistance  hy 
allowing  the  perusal  of  old  family  papers,  etc.,  I  return  sincere  thanks. 

W.   E.   H.    FENTRESS. 


0 ol^l^k^ik^t^  of  tl\e  Y^ti. 


Captain 

[  Isaac  Hull. 

1812, 

a 

Thomas  Macdonough. 

1815. 

i 

Chaeles  Moekis. 

1818, 

i 

W.  M.  Crane. 

1823. 

i 

C.^G.  RiDGELEY. 

1825. 

i 

J.  0.  Creighton. 

1826, 

6 

J.  D.  Henley. 

1828. 

i 

W.  M.  Crane. 

1832. 

a 

Jno.  D.  Sloat. 

1840. 

i 

Geo.  W.  Storer. 

1843, 

i 

Dan'l  Turner. 

1846. 

t 

Thos.  W.  Wymak. 

1849, 

n 

Jos.  Smoot. 

1852. 

"* 

John  T- Newton. 

1855, 

a 

John  Pope. 

1857. 

Commo 

.  G.  F.  Pearson.     - 

1860, 

a 

T.  Bailey. 

1864. 

i 

Jos.  Lanman. 

1867. 

n 

Jno.  a.  Winslow, 

1869. 

a 

A.  M.  Pennock. 

1870. 

i 

J.  C.  Howell.       -        -        - 

1872. 

a 

A.  Bryson. 

1874. 

CENTENNIAL    HISTORY. 

<^^K)  Hundred  years  had  passed  since  the  discovery  of 
^^li.^  Am  erica,  and  yet  the  noble  river  Piscataqua  was 
t^T^ undiscovered  by  the  white  man,  and  bore  upon  its 
waters  only  the  rude  craft  of  the  savage  tribes  whose 
homes  were  upon  its  banks. 

Passing  by  the  Mythical  history  of  the  discoveries  made 
by  the  Northmen,  of  which  we  know  nothing, we  find  the 
first  visitor  to  this  river  in  the  person  of  Martin  Pring, 
who  in  the  spring  of  the  year  1603  entered  its  waters 
with  two  vessels  of  small  size,  the  ''Speedwell"  a  ship 
of  one  hundred  tons  and  thirty  men,  and  the  bark  ""Dis- 
coverer" of  fifty  tons  and  twenty  men. 

This  small  fleet  was  fitted  out  by  the  Mayor,  Alder- 
men and  Merchants  of  the  opulent  city  of  Bristol  in 
England,  for  the  purpose  of  "extending  the  discovery  of 
the  northern  portions  of  Virginia,  in  the  contrie  of 
America".  After  discovering  Penobscot  Bay  and  River, 
and  York  River,  he  continued  his  voyage  along  the  coast 
westward  until  he  arrived  at  the  Piscataqua  River,  which 
he  calls  the  "Westernmost  river,"  and  after  anchoring 
the  "Speedwell"  in  the  lower  harbor,  he  made  an  excur- 
sion with  the  "Discoverer"  some  twelve  or  fourteen  miles 
inland,  and  as  the  time  of  year,  (it  being  June,)  was  well 
calculated  to  impress  the  voyagers  with  an  exalted  idea 
of  the  country,  we  are  not  surprised  when  we  read  in  his 
report  of  this  trip,  the  following:  "Tha  river  Pishcata- 
qua,  which  is  the  westernmost  river,  and  the  one  which 
pierceth  farthest  inland ;  it  is  a  noble  sheet  of  water,  and 


of  great  depth,  with  beautiful  ishmds  and  heavy  forests 
along  its  banks."' 

There  is  no  doubt  that  the  description  of  this  expedi- 
tion, upon  its  return  to  England,  had  its  weight  in  induc- 
ing the   emigration  which  followed,  some  years  later. 

In  1605  Sam'l  DeChamplain  sailed  from  Havre  de 
Grasse  in  France,  on  a  voyage  of  discovery  to  New  Eng- 
land, or  as  it  was  then  called  Northern  Virginia.  On  the 
15th  of  July  1605,  he  discovered  the  ''Isle  of  Shoals," 
and  "Cape  of  the  Isles"  as  he  named  the  point  of  land 
now  known  as  Odiorne's  Point,  and  where  soon  after- 
wards, a  settlement  was  to  be  made  by  the  English  Com- 
pany. After  sailing  up  the  river  several  miles,  and  find- 
ing no  natives,  he  altered  his  course  to  the  southward, 
and  on  the  17th  inst.  discovered  ''a  grate  and  wide  river" 
which  he  named  the  ''Riviere  du  Gas,"  probably  the  Mer- 
rimack. 

There  does  not  appear  to  have  been  any  other  visit 
made  to  the  Piscataqua  until  1614  when  Captain  John 
Smith,  who  was  engaged  with  a  small  fleet  at  Manhagan 
in  fishing,  taking  a  party  in  his  boats,  explored  the  coast 
from  Penobscot  to  Cape  Cod  ;  entering  the  various  bays 
and  rivers,  and  making  surveys  of  the  harbors.  The 
Isles  of  Shoals  he  discovered,  and  called  Smith's  Islands, 
and  sailed  up  the  Piscataqua  River  some  twenty  miles 
from  its  mouth.  His  report  shows  that  he  was  very  fa- 
vorably impressed  with  what  he  saw  of  the  river  and  its 
surroundings. 

Upon  his  return  to  England  he  presented  a  chart  of 
the  coast  to  Prince  Charles  and  requested  that  the  coun- 
try should  be  called  New  England.  This  chart  of  the 
coast  of  New  England  was  the  first  made  and  is  said  to 
be  very  correct. 

In  1621  Captain  John  Mason  was  among  the  first  who 
entered  zealously  into  the  scheme  of  making  a  fortune  by 


means  of  trading  T^dth  New  England  and  forming  a  per- 
manent settlement  there.  He  was  a  merchant  of  London 
and  afterwards  engaged  in  the  fisheries  at  Newfoundland, 
of  which  place  he  was  Governor. 

On  his  return  to  England  he  was  appointed  Governor 
of  Portsmouth  in  Hpcmpshire;  he  was  also  elected  a  mem- 
ber of  the  council  established  at  Plymouth  in  the  county 
of  Devon  by  a  royal  charter  "for  the  planting,  ruling,  or- 
dering and  governing  of  New  England  in  America,"  and 
not  long  after  was  chosen  their  Secretary. 

On  the  tOth  dav  of  Au^-ust  1622,  the  council  oTanted  to 
Mason  and  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges  jointly,  "All  the  land 
situated  between  the  rivers  Merrimack  and  Sagadehock, 
^tending  back  to  the  great  lakes  and  the  river  of  Cana- 
da," by  the  name  of  Laconia.  Several  merchants  of  Lon- 
don were  admitted  as  associates  with  them.  Thej^  styled' 
themselves  "The  Compau}^  of  Laconia." 

Arriving  at  the  Piscataqua,  they  erected  upon  the  pen- 
insula now  known  as  Odiorne's  Point,  the  first  houso 
built  in  New  Hampshire,  which  they  named  Mason   Hall. 

This  house  was  built  under  the  direction  of  David 
Thompson,  was  no  doubt  a  garrison  house  or  strongly  for- 
tified post  of  the  company.  The  month  in  which  they 
arrived  is  supposed  to  have  been  May. 

A  few  rods  southwest  of  the  fort  at  Odiorne's  Point' 
they  erected  their  fishflakes,  which  gave  the  name  of 
Flake  Hill  to  the  knoll,  which  is  still  retained. 

During  the  first  few  years  of  the  existence  of  the  colo- 
ny, the  people  suffered  every  hardship ;  and  not  being  ac- 
climated, many  of  them  were  carried  off  by  disease,  A 
number  of  graves  are  still  to  be  seen  a  few  rods  north  of 
the  site  of  the  fort,  and  it  is  v/orthy  of  remark  that  the 
moss-covered  cobble  stones  at  the  head  and  foot  of  the 
graves  still  remain  as  placed  by  mourners  two  hundred 
and  fifty-two  j^ears  ago ;  while  a  walnut  and  a  pear   tree^ 


(each  of  immense  size,  and  probably  of  equal  age  with 
the  State,)  stand  like  sturdy  sentinels  extending  their  an- 
cient arms  over  the  sleepers  below. 

In  the  year  1631,  Humphrey  Chadborn  built  a  house 
near  the  bank  of  the  river,  and  about  three  miles  from  its 
mouth.  The  site  of  this  house  is  what  is  now  known  as 
the  southeast  corner  of  Court  and  Water  streets.  This 
house  was  also  a  part  of  Mason's  property,  and  was  the 
second  house  built  in  New  Hampshire.  It  may  also  be 
called  the  commencement  of  Portsmouth. 

The  two  islands  which  are  to  claim  our  particular  at- 
tention in  this  history,  were  at  this  time  occupied  by  John 
Puddington  as  a  place  for  drying  fish,  and  were  known  as 
Puddington's  Islands.  We  find  in  the  Records  of  York 
County,  a  copy  of  the  Grant  upon  which  Sir  Ferdinando 
Gorges  held  these  islands,  an  extract  of  which  is  given, 
to  wit : 

Charles,  King  of  England  &c.,  &c.,  to  Sir  Ferdinando 
Gorges  of  "a  parte  and  portion  of  ye  countrie  of  America 
nowe  commonly  called  or  known  by  ye  name  of  New 
England.  Ye  portion  of  ye  maine  land  and  premises 
aforesayd  shall  forever  hereafter  bee  called  and  named  ye 
province  or  countrie  of  Maine.  Also,  all  woods,  trees, 
lakes  and  rivers  and  islands  within  the  said  province  of 
Maine". 

Dated  April  third  in  the  fifteenth  year  of  our  reign,  1639  A.  D. 

In  the  same  book  we  find  a  commission  from  Sir  Ferdi- 
nando Gorges  appointing  Thomas  Jocelyn,  Richard  Vines, 
Francis  Champernon,  and  others  as  Councillors  of  the 
Province,  naming  Richard  Vines  as  his  Steward  General, 
Dated  September  2d,  1639. 

In  the  records  of  Deeds,  Book  i,  page  16,  is  recorded 
the  following  grant : 

^'Richard  Vines,   Steward  General  of  the  Province  of 


9 

Maine,  in  behalf  of  Sir  Ferdinando  Gorges  to  Thomas 
Fernald  of  Kittery,  of  two  islands  lying  and  being  on 
the  Northeast  side  of  Fischataqua  river,  commonly  called 
or  known  by  the  name  of  Puddington's  Islands.  The 
said  Thomas  Fernald  of  Kittery,  to  pay  to  the  Lord  pro- 
prietors of  the  land,  the  sum  of  Two  shillings  and  sixpence 
yearly,  if  demanded."* 

The  British  Government  had  caused  surv^eys  of  the  har- 
bor to  be  made,  and  attracted  by  the  fine  timber  lands  in 
the  immediate  vicinit}^,  selected    this  port  for  a  place  to 
bmld  ships  for  the  Royal  Navy.     As  early  as  1G50  we  find 
rcQprds  of  timber  for  masts  being   selected    and    marked 
with  the.   King's  ''Broad  Arrow,"  as  the  property  of  the 
Crown.     The  first  ship  that  we  have  any  authentic  record 
of  having  been  built  here  for  the  Royal  Navy,  is  the  Frig- 
ate Falkland  of  fifty-four  guns,  built  in  the  year  1690,  by 
Mr.  John  Taylor,  and  as  no  account  could  be  found  here 
of  this  ship  beyond  the  bare  mention  of  her  name,  and 
that,  only  in  Adams'  Annals  of  Portsmouth,  I  have  under- 
taken to  add  to  the  interest  of  this  book,  by  giving  some 
description  and  history  even  of  these  ancient  specimens 
of  an  early  attempt  at  naval  architecture  on  the  Piscata- 
qua.     With  this  view  I  addressed  a  letter  to  B.  F.  Stevens? 
Esq.,  U.  S.  Despatch  Agent  at  London,  Eng.,  requesting 
him  to  employ  some  person  in  the  record  office    of    the 
B<)ard  of  Admiralty,  to  furnish  me    with   the    necessary 
data  of  the  vessels  built  in  Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  and  the 
following  are  copies  of  two  letters  from  him  on  the  subject: 

'^Witli  regard  to  the  ships  that  you  requested  me  to 
hunt  up,  I  have  to  say  that  the  following  discription  of 
these  vesseks  is  all  that  we  have  been  able  to  find  up  to 
this  time,  but  will  continue  the  search  as  far  as  possible- 
I  find  in  a  MMS.  volume,  the  following : 

♦Dated  May  .Sd,  1645. 


10      , 

^A  list  of  ships,  yachts  and  vessels  of  each  Rate  and 
Sort  which  have  been  added  to  the  Royall  Navy  from  the 
nth  November,  16S8,  Avith  their  Rates,  Burthens,  whether 
Built,  Bought  or  taken  as  Prizt^s,  Time  of  addition  and 
Establishment^jf  Mens  &  Guns. 

Falkland,  4th  Rate,  built  in  New  England  by  Mr.  Tay- 
h)r,  added  to  the  Navy  2d  March,  1695.  687  tons.  Estab„ 
lishment, — War,  226  men,  54  guns  at  home,  115  men 
abroad.     Peace,  149  men,  42  guns  at  home. 

3edford,  5th  Rate,  built  at  New  England  by  xMr.  John 
Taylor,  372  tons,  added  to  the  Navy,  3d  May,  1697. 
Establishment, — War,  135  men,  34  guns  at  home,  115  men 
abroad.  Peace,  90  men,  28  guns.  Bedford,  5th  Riifte, 
converted  from  this  rate  to  ffiresliip  by  order  of  the  Admi- 
ralty, 19  February,  1716.'  I  hope  shortly  to  be  able  to 
give  some  hours  in  searching  other  volumes  of  Records  in 
the  same  office,  and  in  the  meantime  shall  be  glad  to  learn 
from  you  what  sum  I  am  to  expend  in  this  matter,  and 
what  is  the  limit  to  which  vou  will  authorize  me  to  oo." 

I  am  Dear  Sir,  Yours  faithfully, 

B.  F.  S  TEVENS. 

London,  Eng.,  Nov.  14th,  1875. 
"Sir: 

I  am  glad  to  be  able  at  last  to  furnish  jou  with 
some  additional  information  relating  to  the  old  ships  built 
at  vour  town  for  the  Roval  Navy.  The  information  altho' 
meagre,  will  enable  you  to  know  something  of  their  final 
disposition.  In  a  Mss.  volume  I  find  under  the  following 
head,  'Shippes,  frigats,  yachts,  vessells  of  the  Royall  Navy, 
lost,  captured,  or  put  to  other  uses,  or  sold  from  1696  to 
1730:' — 'Falklaiid,  34  culverins,  10  sakers,  lost  on  the 
coast  of  Ireland,  May,  1699;'  and  in  another  volume  dated 
1799,  this  entry:  'America,  60,  condemned,  and  made  into 


11 

a  masting  liiilk  at  Portsmouth  Dock  Yard,  Marcli,  1799. 

Impetiieux,'Tl,  captured  June  1794.  In  use  as  a  store 
ship  at  ]>ahia,  May,  18;>3.'  This  Last  is  from  the  Royal 
Navy  Register  of  1833," 

i^dgned)  Charles  Cotgrave. 

Thus  the  two  old  ships,  Falkland  and  Bedford,  are 
traced,  until  we  find  them  recorded  as  yessels  of  the  Royal 
Nav}- .  As  it  may  be  of  interest  to  some,  to  know  the  fate 
of  these  early  ships,  I  liave  inserted  these  letters  from  my 
London  correspondents  relative  to  them.  In  1749,  the  Frig- 
ate America  of  54  guns,  was  built  here  by  order  of  the 
British  Government,  under  the  supervision  of  Col.  Nath- 
aniel Meserve.  This  ship  is  mentioned  several  times  in 
the  Naval  History  of  Great  Britain,  but  no  mention  is 
made  of  any  celebrated  action  in  which  she  took  a  part? 
until  1796.  We  find  her  commanded  b}^  Captain  John 
Blankett,  and  one  of  the  ships  in  the  fleet  of  Yice  Admiral 
Sir  George  Keith  Elphinstone,  at  the  surrender  of  the 
•Dutch  fleet  under  Rear  Admiral  Engelburtus  Lucas,  con- 
sisting of  two  ^Q  gun  ships,  one  54  gun  ship,  five  frigates 
and  sloops,  and  one  store  ship.* 

lx\  1775  the  74  gun  ship  Scarborough,  Captain  Barclay, 
was  at  anchor  in  the  harbor,  and  remained  until,  the  fort 
at  the  entrance  was  seized  by  the  colonists,  wdien  she  left 
the  harbor  and  remained  between  the  Isles  of  Shoals  and 
the  mainland.  The  Scarborough  liad  been  undergoing 
some  repairs  to  her  rigging  and  sails,  but  the  threatening 
appearance  of  affairs  l.)etween  the  Mother  Country  and 
the  C(jlonies,  caused  the  commanding  officer  to  leave  the 
harljor  before  v^^ar  was  actually  declared.  AVhen  it  becailae 
apparent  that  a  w|r  with  England  was  unavoidable,  and 
that  it  was  necessary  to  .buihl  a  navy  to  protect  our  sea- 
board from  the  incursions  of  the  enemy,  the  natural  pdsi- 

*JaniL'.s*  N;iv:il  History.  Vol.  i. 


tion  of  this  port  for  the  purpose  6f  a  naval  station,  becam.3 
obvious,  and  measures  were  at  once  taken  to  establish  a 
building  Yard  here. 

The  island  now*  known  as  Badger's  Island,  was  then 
the  property  of  the  Hon.  John  Langdon,  and  with  that 
spirit  of  patriotism,  whi'ch  was  so  conspicuous  in  him,  he 
tendered  its  use  to  the  Continental  Congress.  It  was 
accepted  and  almost  immediately  the  keel  of  a  frigate  was 
laid.  On  the  21sfc  day  of  March,  1TT5,  work  was  begun 
upon  the  Frigate  Raleigh,"  32  guns.  This  ship  was  built 
by  Messrs.  Hackett,  Hill  &  Paul,  master  builders,  under 
the  inspection  of  Thomas  Thompson,  Esq.  of  Portsmouth, 
who  was  to  command  her.  So  rapidly  had  her  construc- 
tion been  carried  on,  that  on  the  21st  of  May  she  was 
launched,  having  been  completed  in  just  sixty  days  from 
the  laying  of  her  keel. 

I  have  dated  the  origin  of  our  Navy  Yard  from  this  j^ear, 
as  indeed  it  should  be,  for  the  island  from  1775  to  1800, 
(the  time  of  purchase  of  the  present  Yard,)  was  used 
exclusive^  by  the  Government  for  naval  purposes, — and  it 
cannot  fail  to  interest  every  American,  in  thas  viewing, 
from  our  present  stand-point,  the  early  resources  of  our 
then  infant  navy. 

As  the  intention  is  to  make  this  little  work  as  interest- 
ing as  possible,  we  will  follow  as  far  as  we  can,  the  history 
of  each  ship  built  here  and  her  ultimate  fate,  when  it  can 
be  obtained.  The  Raleigh  was  built  under  the  Act  of 
Congress,  passed  Dec.  13th,  1775,  authorizing  the  building 
of  thirteen  sail  of  cruisers,  three  to  carry  24  guns,  five  to 
carr}'  28,  and  five  32  guns.  She  carried  a  battery  of  32 
twelve  pounders,  and  sailed  from  Portsmouth  under  com- 
mand of  Captain  Thompson,  in  Aug.  3^775,  in  company 
with  the  Alfred,  24  guns,  Captain  Hinman,  bound  for 
France,  where  military  stores  were  in   wating  to  be  trans- 


13 

parted  to  America. 

The  following  account  is  taken  from    Cooper's    Naval 
History,  Vol.  I,  page  82: 

''The  Raleigh  and  Alfred  had  a  good  run  off  the  coast, 
and  they  made  several  prizes  of  little  value  during  the 
few  days  ot"  their  passage.     On  the  2d  of  September,  they 
overtook  .and  captured  a  Snow    called  the  Nancy  which 
had  been  left  by  the  outward  bound  Windward  Island  fleet 
the  previous  day.     Ascertaining  from   his   prisoners    the 
position  of  the  West  Indiaman,  Captain  Thompson  made 
sail  in  chase.     The  fleet  was  under  convoy  of  the  Camel, 
Druid,  Weasel  and  Grasshopper,  the  first  of  which  is  said 
to  have  had  an  armament  of  twelve  pounders.     The  fol- 
lowing day,  Sept.  3d,  the  Raleigh  sighted  the  convoy  from 
her  mast-heads,  and  by  sunset  was  near  enough  to  ascer- 
tain that  there  were  sixty  sail,  also  the  positions  of  the 
men-of-war.     Captain  Thompson  had  got  the    signals    of 
the  fleet  from  his  prize,  and  he  now  signalled  the  Alfred' 
as  if  belonging  to  the  convoy.     After  dark  he  spoke  his 
consort,  and  directed  her  commander  to  keep  near  him, 
it  being  his  intention  to  run  in  among  the  enemy  and  to 
lay  the  commodore  aboard.     At  this  time  the  two  Ameri- 
can  ships  were  to  windward,  but  nearly  astern.     In   the 
course  of  the  nisfht  the  wind  shifted  to  the   iK)rthwarcl, 
and  the  convoy  hauled  by  the  wind,  bringing  the  Ameri- 
can ships  to  leeward.     At  daylight  the  wind  had  fresh- 
ened, and  it  became  necessary  to  carr}^  more  sail  than  the 
Alfred,  (a  tender-sided  ship,)  coidd  bear.     I  fere  occurred 
one  of  those  instances  of  the   unfortunate  consequences 
which  must  ahvays  follow  the  employment  of  vessels  of 
unequal  qualities  in  the  same  squadron,  or  the  em|)loyment 
of  officers   not   trained   in    the   same   high   school.     The 
Alfred  would  not  bear  her  canvass,  and  while  the  Raleigh 
fetched  handsomely  into  the  fleet  under  double-reefed  top_ 


» 

sails,  the  former  fell  to  leeward  more  tlian  a  league.  Cap- 
tain Thom.pson  did  not  dare  to  shorten  sail,  lest  his  char- 
acter might  be  sn^ected,  and  despairing  of  being  sup- 
ported by  the  Alfred,  he  stood  boldly  in  among  the  Brit- 
ish ships  alone,  and  hove-to  his  ship  in  order  to  permit  the 
merchantmen  astern  to  draw  ahead  of  him.  When  his 
plan  was  laid  Captain  Thompson  filled  away  and  stood 
directly  through  the  convoy,  luffing  up  towards  the  ves- 
sel of  war  that  was  most  to  windward.  In  doing  this  he 
spoke  several  of  the  merchantmen,  giving  them  orders 
how  to  steer  as  if  belonging  himself  to  the  iieet,  and 
repeating  all  the  commodore's  signals.  Uj)  to  this  moment 
the  Ealeigh  appears  to  have  escaped  detection,  nor  had 
she  had  any  signs  of  preparation  about  her,  as  her  guns 
were  housed  and  her  ports  lowered.  Having  obtained 
a  weatheiiy  position,  the  Ealeigh  now  ran  alongside  of 
the  vessel  of  war,  and  when  within  pistol  shot,  she  hauled 
up  her  courses,  run  out  her  guns,  set  her  ensign,  and  com- 
manded the  enemy  to  srike.  So  completely  was  this  ves- 
sel taken  by  surprise  that  the  order  threw^  her  into  great 
confusion,  and  even  her  sails  got  aback;  The  Raleigh 
seized  this  favourable  moment  to  pour  in  a  broadside, 
which  was  feebly  returjied.  The  enemy  were  soon  driven 
from  their  guns,  and  the  Raleigh  fired  twelve  broadsides 
into  the  English  ship  in  twenty  minutes,  scarcely  receiv- 
ing a  shot  in  return.  A  heavy  swell  rendered  the  aim 
uncertain,  but  it  was  evident  that  the  British  vessel  suf- 
fered severely,  and  this  the  more  so,  as  she  was  of  inferior 
force.  A  squall  had  come  on,  and  at  first  it  shut  in  the 
two  ships  engaged.  When  it  cleared  away,  the  convoy 
was  seen  steering  in  all  directions  in  the  utmost  confusion, 
but  the  vessels  of  war,  with  several  heavy,  well  armed 
W^est  Indiamen,  tacked  and  hauled  up  for  the  Raleigh, 
leavino'  no  doubt  of  their  intention  to  eneacre.     The  frio^- 


15 

ate  lay  by  Her  adversaiy  until  the  other  vessels  were  so 
near,  that  it  became  absolutely  necessary  to  quit  her,  and 
then  she  ran  to  leeward  and  joined  the  Alfred.  Here  she 
shortened  sail,  and  waited  for  the  enemy  to  come  down, 
but  it  being  dark,  the  British  commodore  tacked  and 
li-auled  in  amonof  his  convoy  a^rain.  The  Ralei<?h  and 
Alfred  kept  near  this  fleet  for  several  days,  but  no  provo- 
cation could  induce  the  vessels  of  war  to  come  out  of  it, 
and  it  was  finally  abandoned.  The  ship  engaged  by  the 
Baleigh,  proved  to  be  the  Druid,  20,  Captain  Carteret. 
She  was  much  cut  up,  and  the  official  report  of  her  com- 
mander, made  her  loss  six  killed  and  twenty-six  v/ounded-; 
of  the  latter,  five  died  soon  after  the  action,  and  among 
the  wounded  was  her  commander.  The  Druid  was  una- 
ble to  pursue  her  voyage  and  returned  to  England.  The 
Raleigh  had  three  men  killed  and  wounded  in  the  ensfao'e- 
ment  but  otherwise  sustained  little  injury. 

The  Raleigh  and  Alfred,  after  taking  in  milita^ry  stores 
in  France  sailed  for  America,  making  a  circuit  to  the 
southward,  as  was  then  quite  usual  with  cruisers  thus 
employed,  in  order  to  avoid  the  enemy's  vessels  of  force, 
and  to  pick  up  a  few  prizes  by  the  way.  They  sailed  from 
rOrient,  in  February  1778,  and  on  the  9th  of  March, 
were  chased  by  the  British  ships  Ariadne  and  Ceres, 
which  succeeded  in  getting  alongside  of  the  Alfred  and 
ens^aoino'  her  while  the  Raleis^h  was  at  a  distance.  Belie v- 
ing  a  contest  fruitless,  after  a  few  broadsides,  the  Alfred 
struck,  but  the  Raleigh  though  hard  pressed,  in  the  chase 
that  succeeded,  made  her  escape." 

In  consequence  of  the  investigation  connected  with  the 
Alfred.  Captain  Thompson  was  relieved  from  the  com- 
mand of  the  Raleigh,  and  that  ship  given  to  Captain 
Barry.  Under  the  orders  of  this  new  commander,  the 
Raleigh  saliled  from  Boston  on  the  23th  day  of  September, 


16 

at  six  ill  the  morning  having  a  brig  and  a  sloop  under  cou- 
voy.     The  wind  was  fresh  at  N.  W.  and   the  frigate  run 
off  N.  E.     At  noon  two  strange  sail  were  seen  to  the  k-^e- 
v^'ard,  distant  fifteen  or  sixteen  miles.     Orders  were  civen 
to  the  convoy  to  haul  nearer  to  the  wind  and  to  crowd  all 
sail  it  V  ould  carry,  the  strangers  in  chase..     After  dark, 
the  Raleigh  lost  sight  of  the  enemy, — as  by  this  time  the 
two  ships  were  ascertained  to  be  ; — and  the  wind  became 
light  and  variable.     The  Raleigh  now  cleared  for  Section 
and  kept  her  people  at  quarters  all  night,  having  tacked 
towards  the  land.     In  the  morning  it  proved  to  be  hazy, 
and  the  strangers  were  not  to  be  seen.     The  Raleigh  was 
still  standing  towards  the  land,  svhich  she  soon  after  made 
ahead  and  quite  near.     About  noon,   the    haze    clearing 
away,  the  enemy  were  seen  in  the  southern  board   and  to 
windward,    crowding    all    sail    in    chase.     The    weather 
became  thick  again  and  the  Raleigh  lost  sight  of  her  pur- 
suers, when  she  hauled  to  the  eastward.     No  more  was 
seen  of  the  enemy  that  night,  and   at  daylight    Captain 
Barry  took  in  everything,  with  a  view  to  conceal  the  posi- 
tion of  the  shij),  which  was  permitted  to  sail  under  barQ 
poles.     Finding  nothing  visible  at  6  A.  M.,  the  Raleigh 
crowded  sail  once  more,  and  stood  S.  E.  by  E.     But  at 
9.30  the  two  ships  were  again  discovered  astern,  and  in 
chase.     The  Raleigh  now  hauled  close  upon    the    wind, 
heading   N.  W.  with   her   larboard    tacks    aboard.     The 
enemy  also  came  to  the  wind,  all  three  vessels  carrying 
hard  with  a  staggering  breeze.     The  Raleigh  now  fairly 
outsailed  the  strangers,  running  11  knots  2  fathom  on  a 
dragged  bowline.     Unfortunely  at  noon  the  wind  modera- 
ted, when  the  leading  vessel  of  the  enemy  overhauled  the 
Raleigh  quite  fast,  and  even  the  ship  astern    held   way 
with  her.     At  4  P.  M.  the  Raleigh  tacked  to  the  west- 
ward, with  a  view  to   discover  the  force   of  the  leading 


17 

vessel  of  the  enem}-,  and  about  the  same  time  she  made 
several  low  islands,  the  names  of  which  were  not  known. 
At  5  P.  M.  the  leading  vessel  of  the  enemy  having  nearly 
closed,  the  Raleigh  eds^ed  awav  and  crossed  her  forefoot, 
brailing  her  mizzen  and  taking  in  her  staysails.  The 
enemv  showed  a  batterv  of  14  <j,iins  on  a  side,  inclndino- 
looth  decks,  and  set  St.  George's  ensign.  In  passing,  the 
Raleigh  delivered  her  broadside,  which  was  returned, 
when  the  stranger  came  up  under  the  lee  quarter  of  the 
Amerioan  ship,  and  tlie  action  became  steady  and  general. 
At  the  second  fire,  the  Raleigh  unfortunately  lost  her  fore- 
top-mast  and  mizzen-top-gallant-mast,  which  gave  the 
enemv  a  vast  advantaoe  in  manoeuvrino'  throusfhout  the 
remainder  of  the  affair.  Finding  th3  broadsides  of  the 
Raleigh  were  getting  too  hot  for  him,  the  eneni}'^  soon  shot 
ahead,  and,  for  a  sliort  time, — while  the  people  of  the  for- 
mer ship  were  clearing  the  wreck, — he  engaged  to  wind- 
ward at  long  range.  Ere  long,  however,  the  English  ves- 
sel edged  away  and  attempted  to  rake  the  RaltBigh,  when 
Captain  Barry  bore  up,  and  bringing  the  ships  alongside 
each  other,  he  endeavored  to  board,  a  step  that  the  other, 
favored  by  all  his  canvass,  and  his  superiority  of  sailing 
in  a  light  breeze,  easily  avoided.  By  this  time  the  second 
ship  had  got  so  near  as  to  render  it  certain  she  would  very 
soon  close,  and,  escape  by  flight  being  out  of  the  question 
in  the  crippled  condition  of  the  ship,  Captain  Barry  called 
a  council  of  his  officers.  It  was  determined  to  make  an 
attempt  to  run  the  frigate  ashore,  the  land  being  then 
within  a  few  miles.  The  Raleigh  accordingly  wore  around 
and  stood  for  the  islands  already  mentioned,  her  antago- 
nist sticking  to  her  in  the  most  gallant  manner,  each  ship 
continuing  the  action  with  spirit.  About  midnight,  how- 
ever, the  enemy  hauled  off  and  left  the  Raleigh  to  pursue 
her   course  towards  land.     The   engagement  had  lasted 


18 

seven  hoars,  much  of  the  time  in  close  action,  and  both 
vessels  had  feufferecl  materially^  the  Raleigh  in  particular^ 
in  her  spars,  rigging  and  sails.  The  darkness,  soon  after« 
concealing  his  ship.  Captain  Barry  had  some  hopes  of  get- 
ting off  among  the  islands,  and  was  in  the  act  of  bending 
new  sails  for  that  purpose,  when  the  enemy's  vessels  agaii> 
came  in  sight,  closing  fast.  The  Raleigh  immediately 
opened  a  brisk  fire  from  her  stern  guns,  and  every  human 
effort  was  made  to  force  the,  ship  towards  the  land.  The 
enemy^  however,  easily  closed  again  and  opened  a  heavy 
fire,  which  was  returned  by  the  Raleigh  until  she  grounded, 
when  the  largest  of  the  enemy's  ships  immediately  hauled 
off,  to  avoid  a  similar  calamity,  and  gaining  a  safe  distance 
both  vessels  continued  their  fire  from  positions  they  had 
taken  on  the  Raleigh's  quarter.  Captain  Barry  finding 
the  islands  were  rocky  and  might  be  defended,  deter- 
mined to  land  and  burn  his  ship;  a  project  which  was  ren- 
dered practicable  as  the  enemy  had  ceased  firing,  and 
anchored  about  a  mile  distant.  A  large  party  of  men 
landed,  and  the  boats  were  about  to  return  for  the  remain- 
der, when  it  was  discovered,  that  by  the  treachery  of  a 
petty  officer,  the  ship  had  surrendered.  The  officers  and 
men  on  the  island  escaped,  but  the  ship  was  got  off  and 
placed  in  the  British  Navy  under  the  same  name. 

The  two  ships  which  took  the  Raleigh  were  the  Experi- 
ment, 50  guns,  Captain  Wallace,  and  the  Unicorn,  28 
guns.  The  latter  was  the  ship  which  engaged  the  Raleigh 
so  closely,  long  and  obstinately.  The  American  loss  was 
25  killed  and  wounded.  The  island  on  which  the  crew 
landed  is  called  ''\yoGden  Ball,"  and  lies  twenty  miles 
from  the  Penobscot  river. 

I  have  followed  thus  closely  the  history  of  this  ship,  as 
she  was  the  first  American  man-of-war  built  at  this  port, 
aud  as  such,  must  possess  a  greater  interest  than  others 


19 

I)iiilt  later.  The  next  ship  which  was  built  here  for  the 
Colonial  Navy  was  the  ship  Ranger  a  sloop  of  war  of  18 
guns,  six  pounders,  and  a  crew  of  one  hundred  and  fifty 
men.  She  was  huiit  on  the  same  blocks  as  was  the  Ra- 
leigh, upon  what  is  now  known  as  Badger's  island,  and 
was  launched  in  May  1777.  On  the  18th  of  June,  1777, 
oJohn  Paul  Jones,  Captain,  Colonial  Navy,  was  ordered  to 
take  command  of  her.  The  following  letter  will  give 
more  fully  the  intentions  of  Congress,  with  regard  to  this 
Ship. 

(The  designation  of  the  Flag  and  appointment  of  Cap- 
tain Jones  to  the  command  of  the  Rani'-er  on  the  same 
day  would  seem  to  imply  some  connexion  between  the  tv/o 
circumstances.  The  Ranger  was  probably  the  first  ship 
that  bore  the  national  Flag  to  Europe.) 

Philadelphia,  June  18th,  1777, 
In  Marine  Committee. 

''John  Paul  Jones,Esq., 

Sir:— Your  letter  of  the  26th  of 
May  to  the  secret  committee  was  laid  before  Congress, 
and  in  consequence  thereof,  the  design  of  fitting  the  Mel- 
lish  is  laid  aside,  and  you  are  appointed  to  command  the 
Ranger,  ship  of  war  lately  built  at  Portsmouth.  Col. 
Whipple  the  bearer  of  this,  earries  with  him  the  resolves 
of  Congress,  appointing  you  to  this  command  and  author- 
izing him.  Cob  Langdon,  and  y:ou  to  appoint  the  other 
commissioned  as  well  as  the  warrant  officers  necessary  for 
this  Ship,  and  he  has  with  him  blank  commissions  and 
warrants  for  this  purpose.  It  is  our  desire  that  you  get 
the  Ranger  equipped,  officered  and  manned  as  well,  and 
as  soon  as  possible,  and  probably  we  may  send  you  other 
instructions,  l)efore  you  are  ready  to  sail.  However  the 
design  of  the  present  is  to  prevent  your  waiting  for  such 


zu 


after  yoii  are  ready  for  service  in  eveiT  other  respect,  ancl 
if  that  happens  before  the  receipt  of  farther  orders  from 
us,  you  must  proceed  on  a  cruise  against  the  enemies  of 
these  United  States,  conforming  to  the  orders  and  regula- 
tions of  Congress  made  for  the  Government  of  the  Navy; 
and  in  conformity  thereto,  take,  sink,  burn,  or  destroy  all 
such  of  the  enemy's  ships,  vessels,  goods  and  effects  as 
you  may  be  able.  We  will  not  limit  you  to  any  particu- 
lar cruising  station,  but  leave  you  at  large  to  search  for 
yourself  where  the  greatest  chance  of  success  presents. 

Your  prizes  you  will  send  into  such  safe  ports  in  these 
United  States  as  they  can  reach.  Your  prisoners  mj.ist 
also  be  sent  in,  and  we  recommend  them  to  kind  treat- 
ment. Any  useful  intelligence  that  comes  to  your  knowl- 
edge must  be  communicated  to  us  whenever  you  have 
opportunity.  You  are  to  preserve  good  order  and  disci- 
pline, but  use  your  people  well.  The  ship,  her  materials* 
and  stores  must  be  taken  good  care  of,  and  every  officer 
to  ansAver  to  any  embezzlements  that  happen  in  his  depart- 
ment. You  are  to  make  monthly  returns  of  your  officers, 
men  etc.,  to  the  Naval  Board,  you  are  to  be  exceedingly 
attentive  to  the  cleanliness  of  your  ship  and  preservation 
of  the  people's  health.  You  are-  to  afford  assistance  and 
protection  to  the  American  commerce  whenever  in  your 
power ;  and  on  your  return  from  this  cruise,  lay  copies  of 
your  journal  and  log-book  before   the  Naval   Board,  and 

inform  us  of  the  events  of  the  voyage. 
We  are,  Sir, 

Your  friends  and  servants," 
(^sigjiecT)  John  Hancock, 
Robert  Morris, 
Philip  Livingston, 
Ben  J.  Harrison, 

A.  MiDDLETON, 

.  Nicholas  Van  Dyke, 
George  Waldron. 


.    21 

The  resolutions  referred  to  are  as  follows ; 

In  Congress,  June  14th,  1777. 

Resolved:  That  the  flag  of  the  thirteen  United  States,  be 
thirteen  stripes,  alternate  red  and  white;  that  the 
Union  be  thirteen  stars,  white,  in  a  blue  field,  repre- 
senting a  new  constellation. 

Resolved:  That  Captain  John  Paul  Jones  be  appointed 
to  command  the  Ranger,  ship  of  war. 

Resolved :  That  William  Whipple,  Esq.,  member  of  Con- 
gress, and  of  the  Marine  Committee,  John  Langdon, 
Esq.,  continental  agent,  and  the  said  John  Paul  Jones, 
be  authorized  to  appoint  lieutenants  and  other  com- 
missioned officers,  and  warrant  officers,  necessary  for 
the  said  ship  ;  and  that  blank  commissions  and  war- 
rants be  sent  them,  to  be  filled  up  with  the  names  of 
the  persons  they  ap})oint,  returns  whereof  to  be  made 
to  the  Naval  Board  in  the  Eastern  department. 

This  vessel,  which  is  described  a*s  havin^x  been  both 
crank  and  slow,  was  not  thought  by  the  Marine  Commit- 
tee worthy  of  so  good  an  officer  as  Captain  Jones  had 
proved  himself  to  be,  and  he  was  promised  a  better  ship; 
})ut  the  exigencies  of  the  service  did  not  admit  of  the 
fulfilment  of  this  engagement,  and  Capt.  Jones,  after  a 
long  delay,  had  been  induced  to  take  this  command,  in 
preference  to  remaining  idle.  It  is  said,  however,  that  he 
came  from  Europe  with  the  hope  of  obtaining  the  Indien, 
but  that  vessel  had  been  presented  to  the  King  of  France 
previous  to  his  arrival. 

He  sailed  from  Portsmouth,  Dec.  2d,  1777i  bound  for 
France,  and  after  refibting,  sailed  with  the  Ranger  on  the 
10th  of  April,  1778,  on  a  cruise  in  the  Irish  Channel.  As 
the  Ranger  passed  along  the  coast  she  made  several  prizes ^ 
and  getting  as  high  as  W^hite  Haven,  Captain  Jones  de- 
cided on  the  17th  to  make  an  attempt  to  burn  the  Colliers 


qO 


that  were  crowded  io to  that  narrow  port.  Tlie  weather, 
however,  prevented  the  execution  of  this  projecfc,  and  tho 
ship  proceeded  as,  liigh  as  Glentine  Bay,  on  the  coast  of 
Scotland,  where  she  chased  a  revenue  vessel  without  suc- 
cess. Quitting  the  Scottish  coast,  the  Ranger  next  crossed 
to  Ireland,  and  arriving  off  Carrackfergus,  they  were 
boarded  by  some  fishermen.  From  these  Captain  Jones 
ascertained  that  a  ship  which  lay  anchored  in  the  roads? 
was  the  sloop  of  war,  Drake,  Captain  Burden,  a  vessel  in 
force  about  equal  to  the  Ranger,  and  he  immediately  con- 
ceived a  plan  to  run  in  and  take  her.  It  blew  fresh  in  the 
night,  but  when  the  proper  hour  arrived,  the  Ranger  stood 
for  the  roads,  having  accurately  obtained  the  bearings  of 
the  enemy.  The  orders  of  Captain  Jones  were  to  overlay 
the  cable  of  the  Drake,  and  to  bring  up  on  her  bows, 
where  he  intended  to  secure  his  own  ship,  and  abide  the 
result.  By  some  mistake,  the  anchor  was  not  let  go  in 
season,  and  instead 'of  fetching  up  in  the  desired  position, 
the  Ranger  could  not  be  checked,  until  she  had  drifted  on 
the  quarter  of  the  Drake,  at  a  distance  of  half  a  cablets 
length.  Perceiving  that  his  object  was  defeated,-  Captain 
Jones  ordered  the  cable  cut,  when  the  ship  drifted  astern, 
and,  making  sail,  she  hauled  by  the  wind  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible. The  gale  increasing,  it  was  with  great  difficulty 
that  the  Ranorer  weathered  the  land  and  reorained  the 
channel.  After  cruising  in  the  channel  and  making  an 
unsuccessful  attempt  to  burn  the  shipping  at  Whitehaven, 
he  again  encountered  the  Drake,  and  after  an  action  which 
lasted  an  hour  and  a  half,  the  Drake  struck  her  flag  and 
called  for  quarter,  being  much  cut  up  both  in  hull  and 
aloft ;  her  loss  was  computed  at  about  forty  men.  Cap- 
tain Burdea  and  the  First  Lieutenant  of  the  Drake  were 
mortally  wounded  and  died  shortly  after  the  engagement. 
The  Ranger  suffered  less,  having  Lieutenant  Wallingford 


and  one  man  killed,  and  six  wounded.  The  Drake  was 
not  only  a  heavier  ship,  but  she  had  a  much  stronger  crew 
than  her  antagonist.  She  had  also  two  more  guns.  After 
being  repeatedly  chased,  she  arrived  safely  with  her  prize 
at  Brest  on  the  8tli  of  May. 

Captain  Jones  being  transferred  to  the  command  of  an- 
other vessel,  the  First  Lieutenant,  Mr.  Simpson,  was  or- 
dered to  take  command  of  the  Ranger,  and  return  to  the 
United  States:  he  arrived  at  Portsmouth  on  the  29th  of 
July,  1778. 

The  Ranger,  Captain  Simpson,  was  captured  at  Charles- 
ton in  1780  by  the  British  under  Sir  Henry  Clinton,  as 
also  were  the  Providence,  28  guns,  Captain  Whipple; 
Queen  of  France,  28  guns,  Captain  Rathbone ;  Boston,  24 
guns,  Captain  Tucker;  all  of  which  fell  into  the  hands  of 
the  enemy. 

On  the  9th  of  November,  1776,  Congress  ordered  "the 
building  or  purchase  of  three  ships  o^  seventy-four  guns^ 
five  of  thirty-six,  one  of  eighteen  and  one  packet'* 

Under  this  order  the  keel  of  the  America  was  laid  soon 
after  at  Badger's  Island,  which  at  that  time,  was  the  prop- 
erty of  the  Hon.  John  Langdon,  and  sometimes  called 
Governor's  Island.  Mr.  Langdon  was  Continental  Agent 
and  had  the  entire  charge  of  building  vessels  for  the  colo- 
nial service  and  furnishing  the  material.  The  America 
was,  in  her  time,  the  heaviest  ship  that  had  ever  been  laid 
down  on  the  continent  for  which  she  was  named,  and  she 
was  also  the  first  ship  of  her  class  ever  built  by  the  Con- 
federated Colonies  after  their  rupture  with  the  mother 
country;  and,  moreover,  the  only  one  huilt,  or  even  begun^ 
of  the  three  seventy-fours  authorized.  A  year  and  a  half 
after  she  was  authorized,  on  the  29th  of  May,  1778,  the 
Marine  Committee  reported  in  favor  of  making  her  a  two- 
decker,  carrying  twenty-eight  twenty-four   pounders    on 


the  lower  battery,  and  twenty-eight  eighteen  pounders  on 
the  "upper  deck  , — in  the  whole  fifty-six  guns.  This  sug- 
gestion appears,  however,  not  to  have  been  adopted;  and 
we  learn  nothing  more  about  the  ship  until  the  23d  of 
June,  17T9,  when  it  was  resolved  in  Congress,  "  that  Rob- 
ert Morris  should  be  authorized  to  take  measures  for  speed- 
ily launching  and  equipping  for  sea,  the  America,  then  on 
the  stocks  at  Portsmouth,  N.  H. ;"  and  on  the  2(3th,  John 
Paul  Jones  was  unanimously  selected  to  command  her. 

Captain  Jones  proceeded  to  Portsmouth  about  the  last 
of  August,  and  found  the  America,  instead  of  being  ready 
to  be  launched,  as  he  had  supposed,  not  yet  half  built? 
and  there  was  neither  timber  iron,  nor  any  other  material 
for  finishing  her.  Money  would  have  procured  the  neces" 
sary  articles  of  equipment  and  men,  before  wintet:;  but 
money  was  w^ anting.  The  Navy  Board  at  Boston  had 
otherwise  applied  the  funds  Avhich  the  Minister  of  Finance 
had  destined  for  the  America,  and  he  found  it  impossible 
to  make  the  necessary  advances.  The  business  was,  how- 
ever, commenced  immediately,  and  some  progress  made  in 
her  construction  before  winter. 

As  soon  as  the  enemy  had  advice  that  there  was  a  pros- 
pect of  the  America  being  finished,  various  schemes  were 
suggested  for  her  destruction,  intelligence  of  which  was 
sent  in  cypher  to  Portsmouth  by  the  Minister  of  Marine. 
Captain  Jones  applied  to  the  Government  of  New  Hamp- 
shire for  a  guard  to  protect  the  vessel,  and  the  Assembly 
voted  to  comply  with  his  demand.  None  was  furnished 
however,  and  on  the  second  alarm  sent  by  Genera?.  Wash- 
ington, the  master  builder,  Mr;  Hackett,  and  his  associ- 
ate were  prevailed  upon  to  mount  guard  with  a  party  of 
carpenters  by  night.  For  some  time  Captain  Jones  paid 
this  guard  himself,  and  took  command  of  it  in  turn  with 
the  master  builders.     Large  whale  boats,  filled  with  the 


25 

enemy,  pulled  into  the  river  with  muffled  oars  night  after 
night,  passing  and  repassing  the  America,  but  not  daring 
to  risk  landing. 

The  dimensions  of  the  America  were : 

182  feet  6  in,  on  upper  gun  deck  ^ 

174    ''     4   -     -   lower     -       ''  >  ri 

(    Ions, 

56    '*     6   ''    extreme  breadth  of  beam  J 

At  the  close  of  the  summer  of  1782  the  Magnifique  a 
seventy-four  gun  ship  belonging  to  the  French  Squadron, 
under  the  Marquis  de  Vaudreuil,  was  lost  by  accident  in 
the  harbor  of  Boston.  Policy,  and  perhaps  equity,  ren- 
dered it  expedient  for  Congress  to  present  to  France  this, 
its  solitary  ship-of-the-line,  and  a  resolution  to  that  effect 
was  passed  on  the  3d  of  September, 

In  Congress,  September  3d,  1782. 

Whereas  the  ''Magnifique,"  a  74  gun  ship  belonging  to 
the  fleet  of  His  Most  Christian  Majesty,  commanded  by 
the  Marquis  de  Vandreuil,  has  been  lately  lost  by  accident 
in  the  Harbor  of  Boston,  and  Congress  are  desirous  of  tes- 
tifying on  this  occasion  to  his  Majesty,  the  sense  they  en- 
tertain of  his  generous  exertions  in  the  behalf  of  the  Uni- 
ted States, 

Resolved  That  the  Agent  of  Marine  be,  and  he  hereby 
is  instructed  to  present  the  "America"  74  gun  ship,  in  the 
name  of  the  United  States  to  the  Chevalier  de  la  Luzerne 
for  the  service  of  His  Most  Christian  Majest}^ 

Marine  Office,  Sept.  4th,  1782. 

Chevalier  John  Paul  Jones, 

Dear  Sir  : — The  enclosed  res- 
olution will  shew  you  the  destination  of  the  ship  "Amer- 
ica." Nothing  could  be  more  pleasing  to  me  than  this 
disposition,  excepting  so  far  as  you  are  affected  by  it.     I 


26 

know  yoit  so  well  as  to  be  convinced,  that  it  must  give 
great  pain,  and  I  sincerely  sympathize  with  you;  but,  al- 
though you  will  undergo  much  concern  at  being  deprived 
of  this  opportunity  to  reap  laurels  on  your  favorite  field, 
yet  your  regard  for  France  will,  in  some  measure,  alleviate 
it,  and  to  this  your  good  sense  will  naturally  add  the  de- 
lays which  must  have  happened  in  fitting  this  ship  for  sea, 
I  must  entreat  of  you  to  continue  your  inspection  until  she 
is  launched  and  to  urge  forward  the  business.  When  that 
is  done  if  you  will  come  hither,  I  will  explain  to  you  the 
reasons  which  led  to  tliis  measure,  and  my  views  for  em- 
ploying you  in  the  service  of  your  country.  You  will  on 
3^our  route,  have  an  opportunity  of  conferring  vfith  the 
General,  on  the  place  you  mentioned  to  me  in  one  of  your 
letters, 

I  pray  you  to  believe  me, 

Your  Affectionate  friend  &c., 

Robert  Morris. 

Captain  Jones,  notwithstanding  his  disappointment,  con- 
tinued to  urge  forward  the  launch  of  this  ship  with  the 
uthiost  energy.  The  difficulties  were  great,  as  Langdon's 
Island  was  small,  and  between  the  stern  and  the  opposite 
shore.  Church  Hill,  which  was  a  continued  rock,  the  dis- 
tance did  not  exceed  one  hundred  fathoms.  From  a  few 
feet  above  the  stern,  a  ledge  of  rocks  projected  far  into 
the  river,  making  an  angle  of  twenty  degrees  with  the 
keel ;  and  from  a  small  bay  on  the  opposite  shore,  the  flood 
tide  continued  to  run  with  rapidity  directly  over  this  ledge 
for  more  than  an  hour  after  it  was  high  water  by  the  shore. 
It  was  necessary  to  launch  the  ship  exactly  at  high  water, 
and  to  give  her  such  a  motion  as  would  make  her  pass 
around  the  point  of  ledges  without  touching  the  opposite- 
shore,  then  a  difficult  matter.     When  everything  was  pre- 


27 

pareci,  Captain  Jones  stood  on  the  highest  part  of  tlie  bow 
a  position  wliere  he  could  see  her  motion,  and  determine 
by  a  signal  the  instant  when  it  w^as  proper  to  let  go  one 
or  botii  of  the  anchors  that  hung  at  the  bows,  and  slip  the 
oal)le  that  depended  on  the  anchor  fixed  in  the  ground  on 
the  island.  The  operation  succeeded  perfectly  to  liis  wish 
and  to  the  admiration  of  a  large  assembly  of  spectators. 

Thus  w^as  the  America  launched  with  the  flags  of  allied 
France  and  America  displayed  from  the  poop.  After  see- 
ing her  safely  moored.  Captain  Jones,  the  same  day  (Nov. 
5th,  1782,)  delivered  her  to  the  Chevalier  de  Martique, 
who  had  commanded  the  Magnifiqua. 

Major  Hackett,  the  master  builder  who  dvevr  her  plans 
had  never  seen  a  ship  of  tlie  line  ;  and  he  never  had  more 
than  twenty  carpenters  at  work  at  any  time  while  her  con- 
struction was  in  progress,  and  it  is  due  to  him  to  say  that 
this  ship  is  reported  as  one  of  the  finest  ships  afloat. 

After  various  adventures  and  cruising  in  the  French 
Navy,  she  was  captured  by  the  British  fleet  under  Lord 
Hood,  1st  June  1794  at  Toulon,*  and  her  name  changed  to 
Impetueux,  as  there  was  in  the  Royal  Navy  at  the  time,  a 
sixty-four  gun  ship  named  America,  the  same  built  here 
in  1749.  The  Impetueux,  under  her  new  name,  held  the 
highest  possible  reputation,  and  was  sometime  the  flag 
ship  of  Sir  Edward  Pellew. 

In  the  Life  of  Sir  Edward  Pellew  (Admiral  Lord  Ex- 
mouth)  is  the  following : 

''In  1798  he  was  complimented  with  the  command  of 

*  At  thecnptnre  of  Toulon,  the  foUowino-  uamfed  ships  were  taken  by 
the  British :  Suns-Pariel  100  guns.  luste  100  o'uns,  America  74  gun.Sv 
Impetueux  74  ouns,  Noi-thumberhuid  74  o:uns.  Achilli  60  o-uns. 

Tiie  Impetueux  was  almost  an  exact  model  of  the  America  and  very 
nearly  the  same  size.  Upon  her  arrival  at  Portsmouth  Doclvyard  in 
Eni^..  she  took  tire  and  was  destroyed;  her  close  resemblance  to  the 
America  was  probably  the  reason  that  her  name  was  retained  by  the 
latter  named  ship. 


28 

the  'Impetueiix/  the  most  beautiful,  and  probably  the  fin- 
est ship  of  her  class."  This  fact  as  well  as.  a  note  in  the 
Naval  Chronicle  of  1799,  which  speaks  of  her  model  as 
being  '■'so  fine,  that  several  ships  of  the  Royal  Navy  were 
built  from  her  moulds,"  induced  me  to  identify,  without 
the  shadow  of  a  doubt  the  Impetueux,  as  our  America  9 
and  to  claim  for  Major  Hackett  the  credit  of  furnishing'  so 
fine  a  model  to  the  Royal  Navy. 

I  was  led  to  make  this  inquiry,  from  the  fact  that  some 
grave  doubts  existed  as  to  whether  the  America,  captured 
at  Toulon  was  the  same  ship  that  was  built  at  this  port? 
as  James,  in  his  History  of  the  British  Navy,  vol.  I  page 
178,  says:  ''The  Vengeur,  Impetueux  aud  America  had 
only  been  launched  the  preceding  year ;  and  the  two  lat- 
ter were  considered  as  the  finest  74s  that  had  ever  been 
seen  in  a  British  port." 

I  addressed  a  letter  to  the  Navy  authorities  at  Toulon 
through  our  Consular  agent  at  that  port,  requesting  infor- 
mation relative  to  that  ship,  the  reply  to  which  letter  I 
here  give ; 

Toulon,  France,  Nov.  2d,  1875. 
Mr.  W,  E.  H.  Fektress, 

U.  S,  Navy  Yard,  Portsmouth,  N.  H., 
U.  S.  of  America, 

Dear  Sir  : — In  reply  to 
3^our  letter  of  the  4th  inst.  requesting  information  relative 
to  the  Ship  America,  I  have  the  pleasure  of  sending  you 
the. enclosed  note  (with  its  translation  into  English,)  re- 
ceived from  the  clerk  of  records  at  the  Naval  Depot  at 
this  place. 

Hoping  it  may  give  you  the  information  required, 

I  am  Sir,  Your  Serv't., 

I.  Georges  Plattner. 


29 

The  following  is  taken  iTom  the  records  of  the  Naval 
station  at  Toulon : 

"List  of  ships,  vessels  and  boats  captured  at  Toulon  on 

the  1st  of  June  1794." 

Name.         Tons.  Where  built.  No.  Guns.  Men.  Killed.  Wounded. 

America,    ~ji  U.  S. 

Capt.  Louis  V18S4  of                  74            720        134              110 

L'Heritur.    }  America 
Impetueux     ^ 

Capt.  Bertram  V 1878  llochfort            74           713        100              75 
Douville         ) 

Upon  the  arrival  of  these  ships  at  Portsmouth,  Eng.,  the 
Impetueux  was  accidentally  bunied;  and  there  being  al- 
ready a  54  gun  ship  in  the  Royal  Navy  named  the  Amer- 
ica, (the  same  that  was  built  at  this  port  in  1749,)  the 
name  of  the  captured  seventy-four,  was  changed  to  Impe- 
tueux. These  can  be  now  no  doubt  that  the  Impetueux 
spoken  of  in  such  glowing  terms  by  the  Naval  Authorities 
of  that  period,  was  our  own  Piscataqua  ship.  I  regret  to 
record  here,  that  on  board  of  this  beautiful  ship,  when 
commanded  by  Sir  Edward  Pellew,  (afterwards  Admi- 
ral Lord  Exmouth,)  was  planned  one  of  the  most  terri- 
ble general  mutinies  that  ever  disgraced  a  flag,  but  by  the 
coolness  of  that  very  superior  officer,  it  was  frustrated  on 
board  his  ship  and  the  ringleaders  hung  at  her  yard  arms 
in  Bantry  Bay. 

From  1783  to  1798  nothing  was  done  here  in  building 
or  repairing,  in  connection  with  the  Navy ;  that  branch  of 
the  service  having  been  allowed  to  fall  into  decay,  and  dis- 
appear ;  the  only  naval  force  which  appears  during  these 
years,  is  a  few  armed  vessels  belonging  to  the  States,  as  in- 
dividuals. The  result  of  this  measure  can  be  seen  at  once, 
we  quote  from  Cooper's  Naval  History : 

*'In  the  mean  time,  the  Dey  of  Algiers,  discovering  that 
a  new  country  had  started  into  existence,  which  possessed 


30 

merchant  vessels  and  no  cruisers,  as  a  matter  of  course 
beofan  to  prey  on  its  commerce." 

Many  vessels  were  captured  by  these  Algerine  pirates 
during  these  years  ,  and  their  crews  sold  into  slavery. 

On  the  9th  of  July  1790,  or  a  year  after  the  orgfinization 
of  the  Federal  government,  there  still  remained  in  captiv- 
ity, fourteen  of  the  unfortunate  persons  who  had  been 
thus  seized.  Of  course  five  bitter  years  had  passed  in 
slavery,  because  at  the  period  named,  the  United  States  of 
America,  the  country  to  which  they  belonged  did  not  pos- 
sess sufficient  naval  force  to  compel  the  petty  tyrant  at 
the  head  of  the  Algerine  government  to  do  justice  I 

In  looking  back  at  events  like  these,  we  feel  it  difficult 
to  persuade  ourselves  that  the  nation  was  really  so  power- 
less, and  cannot  but  suspect  that  in  the  strife  of  parties, 
the  struggles  of  opinion,  and  the  pursuit  of  gain,  the  suf- 
ferings of  the  distant  captives  were  overlooked  or  forgot- 
ten. One  of  the  first  advantages  of  the  new  system,  was 
connected  with  the  measures  taken  by  the  administration 
of  Washington  to  relieve  these  unfortunate  persons. 

Peace  having  been  proclaimed  between  Portugal  and 
Algiers,  and  the  fleet  of  the  former,  having  been  removed 
from  the  Straits  of  Gibralter,  a  free  passage  to  the  Atlan- 
tic was  opened  to  these  Corsairs,  and  their  depredations 
now  reached  a  pass  that  further  submission  became  impssoi- 
ble,  and  in  March  179-1  an  act  of  Congress  was  passed,  au- 
thorizing the  construction,  or  the  purchase  of  six  frigates, 
or  of  such  other  Naval  force,  that  should  not  be  inferior 
to  that  of  the  six  frigates  named,  as  the  President  might 
see  fit  to  order,  providing  no  vessel  should  mount  less  than 
32  guns.  All  these  preparations,  however,  were  sudden- 
ly suspended  by  the  signing  of  a  treaty  with  Algiers  in 
Nov.  1795,  one  of  the  articles  of  which,  was  the  presenta- 
tion by  the  U.  S,  of  a  frigate  of  32  guns  to  the  Dey. 


31 

On  the  18tli  January  1798,  the  frigate  Crescent,  mount- 
ing 32  guns  sailed  from  this  port  for  the  Mediterranean. 
She  was  built  for  the  Government  by  Col.  James  Hackett, 
upon  the  blocks  of  the  America  74,  on  Badger's  Island, 
and  was  intended  as  a  present  to  the  Dey  of  Algiers. 
Cooper  says,  "the  peace  obtained  from  the  Dey  of  Algiers 
cost  the  government  of  the  Unted  States  near  a  million 
dollars,  a  sum  quite  sufficient  to  have  kept  the  barbarian's 
port  hermetically  blockaded  until  he  should  have  humbly 
sued  for  permission  to  send  a  craft  to  sea." 

The  following  article  taken  from  a  daily  paper  of  the 
day,  will  give  the  reader  some  idea  of  the  spirit  which 
may  prevail  in  a  nation,  when  it  does  not  possess,  or  neg- 
lects to  use,  the  means  of  causing  its  rights  and  character 
to  be  respected. 

''Crescent  Frigate. 

Portsmouth,  N.  H.,  Jan.  20th 
On  Thursday  morning  about  sunrise,  a  gun  was  dis- 
charged from  the  'Crescent'  frigate,  as  a  signal  for  getting 
under  way;  and  at  10  A.  M.  she  cleared  the  harbour  with 
a  fine  leading  breeze.  Our  best  wishes  follow  Captain 
Newman,  his  officers  and  men.  May  they  arrive  in  safety 
at  the  place  of  their  destination,  and  present  to  the  Dey 
of  Algiers  one  of  the  finest  specimens  of  elegant  naval 
architecture  which  was  ever  borne  oh  the  Piscataqua's 
waters. 

'Blow  till  ye  winds  that  fill  the  prosperous  sail, 
And  hushed  in  peace  be  every  adverse  gale.' 
The  Crescent  is  a  present  from  the  United  States  to  the 
Dey,  as  compensation  for  delay  in  not  fulfilling  our  treat}^ 
stipulations  in  proper  time.  Richard  O'Brien,  Esqr.,  who 
was  ten  years  a  prisoner  at  Algiers,  took  passage  in  the 
above  frigate,  and  is  to  reside  at  Algiers  as  Consul  Gener- 
al of  the  United  States  to  all  the  Bar'bary  States. 


32 

The  Crescent  has  many  valuable  presents  on  board  for 
the  Dey,  and  when  she  sailed,  was  supposed  to  be  worth 
three  hundred  thou?.and  dollars,  Tw^enty-six  barrels  of  dol- 
lars constituted  a  part  of  her  cargo. 

It  is  worthy  of  remark,  that  the  captain,  Chief  of  the 
Officers  and  many  of  the  privates  of  the  Crescent,  have 
been  prisoners  at  Algiers." 

A  new  act  was  passed  without  delay,  ordering  the  com- 
pletion antl  equipment  of  two  of  the  forty-four  frigates, 
and  three  of  the  thirty-eights,  and  in  1797  as  soon  as  the 
Crescent  was  launched,  the  Sloop  of  War  Portsmouth,  24 
guns,  w*as  laid  down,  and  in  Feb'y  1798  she  sailed  for  the 
West  Indies  under  Capt.  H.  McNeill,  where  she  cruised 
during  1798-9,  and  in  1800  she  was  sent  to  France  for  our 
minister,  and  upon  her  return  in  1801  i^he  was  sold  at  Bal- 
timore for  f  34,366. 

The  Scammel,  14  guns,  (schooner,)  was  next  built,  and 
was  launched  in  36  days  from  the  laying  of  her  keel,  and 
sailed  for  the  West  Indies  under  the  command  of  Lieuten- 
ant J.  Adams,  where  she  served  in  the  squadron  of  Com- 
modores Barry,  Truxton  and  Decatur,  against  the  Bucca- 
neers and  French  privateers. 

The  keel  of  the  Congress,  36  guns,  was  laid  as  soon  as 
the  sloop  Portsmouth  was  launched,  a.nd  was  so  far  ad- 
vanced that  in  Aug;"ust  1799  she  was  launched.  She  was 
built  by  Col.  James  Hackett  of  Portsmouth,  N.  H. 

In  December  1799  the  Congress  38,  Captain  Sever,  and 
Essex  32,  Captain  Preble,  sailed  from  Portsmouth  with 
orders  to  convoy  vessels  as  far  as  Batavia,  war  having  been 
declared  between  the  United  States  and  France.  The 
former  vessel  having,  by  her  rigging  slacking,  lost  her 
three  masts  and  bowsprit,  in  a  gale  encountered  a  few  days 
out,  was  compelled  to  return  to  port  under  jury  masts; 
the  Essex  continued  her  cruise  to   the   East  Indies.     The 


S'^ 


o 


Congress  did  not  rejoin  her  consort  until  1801.  x\fter 
ending  her  cruise,  she  again  sailed  from  this  port  under 
the  command  of  Captain  John  Rodgers,  bound  for  the 
Mediterranean  in  1804,  cruising  there  until  1806,  being 
' — during  this  cruise— conimauded  also  by  Captain  Stephen 
Decatur,  In  1806  she  bronsrht  home  the  first  Embas- 
sador  from  the  Barbary  powers.  During  the  last  war 
with  great  Britain  she  made  several  captures  under  Cap- 
tain J.  Smith.  Soon  after  peace  was  ratified,  she  sailed  > 
for  Europe  and  the  Mediterranean  under  Captain  Charles 
Morris,  returning  to  the  U.  S.  the  same  jea^T.  In  1816 
and  1317  she  cruised  on  the  coast  and  in  the  West  Indies, 
under  the  same  commander.  In  1818  to  1821  we  find  her 
in  the  East  Indies  under  command  of  J.  D.  Henley.  The 
cost  of  the  Congress  was  1197,246,  and  after  an  honorable 
service  of  37  years,  she  was  broken  up  at  Norfolk  Va.  in 
1836, 

The  Yard  of  the  Hon.  John  Langdon  appears  to  have 
been  used  up  to  1800,  by  the  Government  for  Naval  pur- 
poses and  a  quantity  of  timber,  anchors  etc.,  had  been 
collected  at  that  island.  The  necessity  of  having  Navy 
Yards  owned  by  the  Government,  became  more  and  more 
apparent,  and  although  there  was  no  express  authority  to 
purchase  these  yards,  yet  it  became  a  measure  of  necessi- 
ty. An  appropriation  of  one  million  dollars  had  been 
made  by  Act  of  Congress,  approved  25th  Februar/,  1799 , 
for  the  building  of  six  seventy-four  gun  ships,  and  from 
this  sum,  it  was  proposed  to  purchase  land  for  the  use  of 
this  branch  of  the  Government  service. 

On  the  25th  April,  1800,  in  the  State  Papers  on  Naval 
Affairs  there  is  recorded  the  following : 


•*'Tfie  Hon.  Seexetary  of  the  Navy,  recommends-  ifie 
purchase  of  tlie  island  in  PortsMontli  Iiarbour  called  Den- 
nett's Island^  for  the  site  of  a*  Na^vy  Yard/^ 

In  11M  Mr.  William  Dennett  of  Kittery  Me.,  believ- 
ing that  one  of  the  Islands  in  the  .harbor  would,  at  some 
not  far  distant  period,  be  selected  by  the  Government 
for  the  purpose  of  establishing  a  perm^anest  depot  for  Na- 
val stores  etc^,  prc^posfed  ta  Samuel  Sheaf e,  Esq.y  of  Ports- 
mouth, the  purchase  of  the  island^  now  the  Navy  Yard. 
Mr.  Sheaf  immediately  arranged  the  terms  of  purchase^ 
with  the  heirs  of  Thomas  Fernald,  and  in  June  paid  the 
sum  of  650  dollars,  having  the  deed  made  out  in  his  name. 
In  September  he  sold  the  island  to  Wm.  Dennett  for  1700 
dollars,  thus  realizing  the  hanelsome  profit  of  1050  dollars 
In  three  months. 

In  the  State  Papers,  Naval  Affairs^  we  find  recorded 
the  following  -^ 

No.  21. 

^th  Congress,  | 

2d  Session.       \         Naval  Establishment  and  its  expenses. 

Navy  Department,  Jan'y  12th,  1801, 

Ground  purchased  in  Portsmouth  for  a  Navy  Yard. 

Harkisok  GiiEY  Oti-s, 

chairman  of  Committee  on  Naval  Affairs, 

October  1st,  1800, 

Portsmouth,  N.  H.  For  purchase  of  Land         f  5,500 

Improvements           26,304 
Pifty-^Eight  Acres.  — 

131,804 

Thus  Mr.  William  Dennett  after  holding  his  purchase 
five  years,  realized  the  snug  little  profit  of  f  3,800. 


I  will  liere  give  a  brief  description  of  tlie  g'eneral  ap- 
pearance of  the  Island  at  the  time  of  its  purchase  by  the 
'Government,  as  receiyed  from  the  Hon,  Mark  Dennett,  a 
brother  of  the  former  owner  of  the  Island  now  ninety-two 
years  old,  perfectly  well  and  in  the  possession  of  GYery 
faculty,  who  sajs  : 

''The  Island  as  I  remember  it  when  a  boy  was  hilly  and 
€overed  with  a  dense  undergrowth  ;  there  was  only  one 
tree  on  the  island  worthy  of  the  name,  and  that  is  now  in 
the  grounds  of  the  Commodore,  and  known  as  the  '*01d 
Elm.'  Ill  1798,  I  remember  it  lost  some  of  it  branches  in 
a  gale,  but  there  is  very  little  difference  in  its  general  ap- 
pearance between  then  and  now.  From  the  tree^  a  small 
stream,  or  sw~amp,  extended  to  what  is  now  the  Dry  Dock 
Basin.  In  the  centre  of  the  island  was  a  high  ledge  of 
rocks  covered  with  undergrowth.  My  brother  built  a 
house  of  two  stories  near  where  the  Commodore's  house 
is  noAv  located ;  it  was  the  only  house  on  the  island  ex- 
cepting a  small  fish  house  near  where  the  shiphouse  No.  5 
now  stands." 

As  soon  as"  Government  took  possession  of  the  island, 
work  commenced  at  once  in  repairing  a  building  for  the 
use  of  the  Superintendent  of  the  Yard,  removing  the  ma- 
terial from  the  adjoining  island,  building  a  shed  for  timber 
and  a  w^et  dock  for  seasoning  the  same. 

The  following  report  made  by  Mr.  J.  Humphries,  the 
Naval  Constructor,  may  be  of  interest  and  I  insert  it  in 
full. 

Report  of  Me.  Humphries. 

"November  25th,  1800. 

Great  quantity  of  stone  is  in  this  Island,  I  think  suffi- 
cient to  erect  all  the  buildings  that  would  be  wanting  for 


the  iise  of  a  ship-yard,  and  I  believe  enoiigli  to  build  f?- 

dock  except  the  steps,  which,  I  am  told,  can  be  dressed  at 

half  a  dollar  per  cubic  foot  at  this  place. 

Seavey's  I&land,  which  is-  called  JenkiD&',  or  Trefethen'& 

Island  in  the  draught,  is  fortified  on  its  heights,  tha.t  is- 

rough  w^orks  thrown  up  last  war ;  this  Island  should  be 

fortified  at  Henderson's  Point  also. 

The  Island  opposite  Seavey's  is  called  Pierce's  Island 

and  is  only  about  one  quarter  of  a  mile  distant.     Workj> 

have  been  thrown  up  on  this  Island.     These  islands  Avell 

fortified  will  effectually  protect  the  harbor. 

Between  these  tw^o  islands  there  is  an  amazing  rapid 

current,  and  which  i&  the  only  ship  channel.  The  fort  on 
Pierce's  Island  is  called  Fort  Washington,  that  on  Seavey's 
Island  is  called  Fort  Sullivan. 

The  principal  part  of  the  workmen  reside  on  the  oppo- 
site shore  from  the  town  and  are  as  handy  to  work  on 

Dennett's  I&land  as  at  Langdon's  or  in  the  town  of  Ports- 
montli. 

This  island  has  several  places  that  will  do  for  docking 
timber.  I  cannot  consider  the  harbor  of  Portsmouth 
above  the  islands,  mentioned  before,  sufficient  for  a  large 
fleet,  and  the  harbor  below  the  islands  as  afore  mentioned 
and  fortified,  cannot  be  a  secure  one.  Ships  passing  in 
rapid  currents  are  always  in  danger  unless  they  have  plen- 
ty of  room  wdiich  they  have  not  in  this  port.  From  all 
information  I  can  obtain,  this  place  is  never  troubled  with 
ice;  that  vessels  may  pass  up  and  dow^n  at  any  time  in  the 

season.  This  port  is  troubled  with  fogs  in  the  months  of 
August  and  September. 

On  Lang^don's  Island  there  is  belonging  to  the  Govern- 
:  ment  the  following  property  : 

1  Anclior,  3.500  lbs.,  belono-ino-  to  'Crescent'  frio'ate. 

2  '•  4.500  ••  e-.icli  bouii-ht  for  "Coiio-ress.' 
1  Wooden  House,  one  story,  stone,  42  by  16  feet. 
1        '•         Shed.  I'ouiih  boards. 

1  House,  wooden  (addition  to  Mr.  Langdon's  stores.) 
17,687  cubic  feet  of  Live  Oak." 


37 

III  1801  a  shed  for  tiinber  was  finished  and  the  timber 
from  Langdon's  Island  removed  and  stored ;  a  wet  dock 
was  finished  and  a  large  quantity  of  live  oak  was  placed 
in  it.  Mr.  Jacob  Sheafe  had  charge  of  the  depot  as  Navy 
Agent,  a  superintendent  or  master  carpenter  being  em- 
ployed on  the  island.  In  1803  a  house  was  erected  for  a 
dwelling,  barracks  for  marines,  and  a  bell  tower  built. 
An  octagon  fort,  of  earth  and  heavy  timber,  with  embra- 
sures for  eight  heavy  guns  also  platforms  for  the  same, 
was  built  upon  the  hill ;  and  a  flag  staff  erected. 

Nothing  more  was  done  on  the  Yard,  except  to  collect 
timber  for  building  purposes,  until  1806,  when  a  first  lieu- 
tenant of  marines,  Mr.  J.  M.  Gamble,  with  one  sergeant, 
two  corporals,  fifteen  soldiers  and  two  musicians  were  or- 
dered by  the  Navy  department  to  this  Station  as  a  garri- 
son to  protect  Government  property  on  the  island.  A 
small  gunboat  called  the  Bee  was  ordered  for  the  protec- 
tion of  the  harbor,  and  to  act  as  guard  ship.  No  work 
other  than  the  clearing  of  the  island  and  erection  of  sheds, 
smith  shop,  saw  pits  and  the  building  of  a  few  small  boats 
for  the  use  of  the  Yard,  was  done  until  the  year  1812, 
when  the  Government  changed  their  former  policy  in  the 
government  of  the  Navy  Yards,  and  placed  them  under 
the  command  of  a  naval  officer  as  Commandant. 

In  March  1812,  the  Wasp  sloop  of  v\^ar.  Rattlesnake 
schooner,  and  Enterprise  brig,  were  reported  as  being  at 
the  yard,  and  received  some  slight  repairs.  Several  gun- 
boat, (four  or  five,)  were  also  ordered  to  do  duty  here. 

On  the  4th  of  October,  Captain  Isaac  Hull  took  com- 
mand of  the  Navy  Yard  as  Commandant.  Sailing  Master 
Nathaniel  Stoodley  was  ordered  to  the  command  of  the 
gun-boats  at  the  Yard. 

On  the  night  of  the  22d  of  December,  1813,  a  fire  broke 
out   in    Portsmouth  which  in  eight  hours  destroyed  180 


dwelling:  Iiouses  and  188  stores.  Captain  John  Smith  of 
the  Congress  at  the  alarm,  sent  his  fire  apparatus  on  shore 
with  half  of  his  crew,  placing  himself  at  their  head  ;  and 
by  his  exertions,  and  the  exertions  of  the  officers  and 
crew  much  property  was  saved  from  destruction  and  the 
fire  arrested  by  the  use  of  powder. 

During  the  year  1814,  it  was  almost  impossible  to  leave 
or  enter  the  harbor  without  capture,  so  vigilant  were  the 
enemy  ;  a  quantity  of  oak  knees  for  the  74  gun-ship  then 
building,  had  been  landed  at  Gloucester  by  a  vessel  from 
the  South,  and  now  awaited  transportation  to  the  Yard. 
As  some  time  would  be  required  to  team  it  from  that 
place  and  the  knees  being  needed,  Capt.  Hull  resolved  to 
transport  them  by  water  to  the  Yard  in  spite  of  the  block- 
ade. Captain  Henry  Trefethen,  an  old  and  experienced 
fisherman,  proposed  to  the  Commandant  to  bring  those 
knees  in  his  smack,  and  being  satisfied  that  the  veteran 
seaman  Avould  accomplish  his  object  he  employed  him. 
The  smack  Yankee  made  several  trips  in  safety,  bringing 
a  good  load  of  the  knees  each  time ;  the  last  load  w^as  at- 
tended with  some  interruption  and  very  nearly  cost  the 
old  Sea  Dog  his  craft,  as  well  as  his  liberty.  After  leaA^- 
ing  the  harbor  he  made  all  sail  with  a  stiff  breeze  from  the 
S.  S.  W.  and  thick  hazy  weather  which  soon  became  a 
dense  fog.  At  about  one  o'clock  P.  M.,  he  came  sudden- 
ly upon  a  ship  at  anchor  ;  the  wind  had  decreased  and  the 
smack  was  moving  at  about  four  or  five,  knots.  A  hail 
came  from  the  ship;  soon  afterwards  a  broadside  was  fired 
in  the  direction  that  she  was  last  seen,  which  cut  the  Yan- 
kee's sails  so  badly  as  to  almost  render  them  useless;  but 
the  brave  old  captain  kept  on,  though  altering  his  course ; 
when  the  fog  lifted  he  found  himself  off  Rye,  and  a  sloop 
of  war  about  two  miles  distant  to  leeward.  He  crowded 
on  all  sail,  and  succeeded  in  reaching  the  harbor  in   safety 


39 

without  the  loss  of  a  stick  of  timber;  his  foresail  was 
riddled  by  the  broadside  of  the  enemy,  his  jib  much  cut 
and  a  shot  had  hit  his  main-l)oom.  Upon  relating  the  cir- 
cumstances to  Commodore  Hull  he  was  rewarded  with  ^ 
complete  set  of  sails  and  a  new  main-boom  in  addition  to 
his  pay  for  services. 

In  1814  the  port  was  closely  blockaded  by  the  British 
vessels  of  war ;  the  Bulwark  71 ;  Poictiers  74 ;  Endymion 
32  ;  Vulture  24,  and  at  times  the  Tenedos  74,  were  ill 
plain  sight  between  the  mainland  and  the  Isles  of  Shoals 
cruising,  and  an  attack  was  daily  expected  from  the  fTeet. 
The  Congress,  after  being  put  out  of  commission  was 
towed  up  the  river  some  four  miles  and  anchored  in  a  safe 
place. 

List  of  Officers  at  Portsmouth  Navy  Yard 
Jan.  1st,  1814. 

Pay  per  month. 
Isaac  Hull,  Capt.  Commandant.  flOO.OO 

Tunis  Craven,  Store  Keeper.  83.33 

Joseph  Watson,         Com'd't's  Clerk,  25.00 

Adam  Hill,  Cockswain.  19.00 

List  of  Buildings  etc.,  on  the  Navy  Yard 

Jan.  1st,  1814. 
Dwelling  House  (originally  built). 
Barracks.  Large  Timber  Dock. 

Small  House.  Small       "■ 

Store.  Bellhouse. 

Covered  Saw-Pit.  Flag  House  and  Staff. 

Saw-Pit.  Ways  for  74  gun  ship. 

Two  timber  Sheds.  Smith  Shop. 

Boat  House. 

In  March  1814,  the  keel  of  ths  74  gun  ship  Washington, 
was  laid,  two  sheds  having  been  removed  to  make  room 


40 

for  the  ways.  Work  progressed  upon  this  sjiip  very  rap- 
idly and  by  the  following  September  she  was  well  ad- 
vanced, and  a  house  built  over  her,  (now  Ship-house  No. 
5,)  she  was  not  launched  until  January  of  the  year  fol- 
lowing. During  the  year  that  the  Washington  was  build- 
ing, much  anxiety  was  felt  lest  the  enemy  should  send  a 
party  by  night  in  boats  and  burn  her,  and  precautions 
were  taken  to  prevent  it.  Mark  Dennett,  Esqr.,  of  Kit- 
tery,  who  has  kindly  assisted  me  in  preparing  incidents  of 
that  time  from  his  memory,  gives  the  following: 

''In  the  Fall  of  1814,  the  British  fleet  could  be  seen 
plainly  outside  the  harbor  bioci^ading  the  porr,  and  it 
being  the  impression  of  Commodore  Hull  that  an  attempt 
would  be  made  by  them  to  burn  the  Wasliington,  then  al- 
most ready  to  launch,  he  requested  the  officers  of  the 
local  militia  to  meet  at  the  Yard,  and  agree  upon  some 
plan  of  co-operation  should  any  attack  be  made.  It  be- 
ing agreed  that  in  case  of  an  alarm  at  the  Yard,  three 
guns  should  be  the  signal  for  the  assembling  of  the  troops. 
1  was  then  about  29  years  old,  and  an  officer  in  a  company 
of  minute  men  at  Kittery.  One  cold  night  the  heavy  re- 
port of  three  cannon  came  booming  over  the  water,  and 
in  a  few  minutes,  our  men  could  be  seen  hurrying  to  the 
rendezvous  in  numbers.  When  I  arrived,  I  found  about 
sixty  assembled  and  we  took  up  our  line  of  march  to  the 
Yard  by  way  of  Kittery.  One  old  gentleman,  who  has 
passed  away  long  since,  was  eager  for  a  fight,  and  wished 
to  drink  British  blood  before  night,  but  his  patriotism  was 
allowed  to  cool,  for  before  taking  boats  for  the  island,  an 
officer  sent  by  the  Commodore  met  us  and  reported  the 
alarm  as  caused  by  some  fishing  vessels  sailing  in,  which 
were  mistaken  for  the  enemy's  boats." 

Many  were  the  false  alarms,  caused  by  various  circum- 
stances during  this  year,  the  prevailing  idea  being  that  a 


41 

destruction  of  the  sevonty-four  had  been  ordered  l)y  the 
officer  in  command  of  the  enemy's  ships  outside,  and  that 
the  opportunity  was  only  wanting  for  its  consummation. 
When  the  Washington  was  nearly  ready  for  launching, 
Commodore  I.  Chauncey  was  sent  by  the  Department  to 
superintend  her  equipment,  as  she  was  to  be  his  Flag  ship 
when  ready  for  sea.  The  Washington  was  launched  July 
1815,  peace  with  England  having  been  declared  the  Feb- 
ruary previous. 

The  launching  of  so  large  a  ship  as  a  seventy-four, 
v/as  an  event  of  uncommon  occurrence  in  this  vicinity, 
and  thousands  of  persons  were  attracted  hither  by  it.  On 
the  day  of  the  launch,  the  weather  was  fine,  and  the 
shores  lined  with  an  enthusiastic  niultitude;  as  the  great 
mass  began  to  move  slowly  out  of  the  ship-house,  the 
cheers  were  deafening ;  the  band  played  a  national  air, 
while  the  roar  of  the  cannon  from  the  surrounding  forts 
added  to  the  din.  Commodore  Chauncey  stood  upon  the 
bows,  and  with  him  a  youth  of  about  fifteen  years,  who  is 
now  an  old  and  very  prominent  citizen  of  Portsmouth. 

At  the  time  of  launching,  a  joung  gentleman  in  undress 
uniform,  was  arrested  as  being  an  English  Naval  officer, 
but  he  proved  to  be  a  brother  of  Commodore  Chauncey; 
this  incident  has  given  rise  to  a  story  that  a  British  spy 
was  arrested  on  the  Yard  at  that  time. 

The  Washington  was  fitted  out  immediately,  as  the 
flag  ship  of  Commodore  I.  Chauncey,  commanding  the 
Mediterranean  squadron.  In  August  there  was  a  strike 
among  the  workmen  employed  in  equiping  the  ship  and 
some  difficulty  was  experienced  in  getting  men  to  work, 
owing  to  the  depreciation  of  Treasury  notes.  The  follow- 
ing extract  of  a  letter  from  the  Hon.  B.  W.  Crowning- 
shield,  Secretary  of  the  Navy,  will  explain  more  fully  the 
state  of  affairs  at  the  Yard  at  this  time : 


42 

August  21,  1815. 

*^If  the  work  of  tlie  sliip  is  suspended  in  consequence^ 
measures  will  be  taken  to  ecjuip  the  ship^  in  order  to  pro-- 
eeed  to  New  York,  where  the  payments  in  Treasury  notes- 
are  equal  to  those  in  gold  and  silver.  This  will  eventually 
drive  all  the  Naval  operations  and  equipment,  from  the 
Northern  to  the  Middle  and  Southern  States.  You  will 
be  pleased  to  report  to  me  the  present  state  of  the  ship 
and  the  time  necessary  to  fit  her  for  »ea,  so  a&  to  proceed, 
to  New  York." 

The  Washington  sailed  in  October  for  Europe^  where 
she  remained  as  flag  ship  of  the  squadron  until  1818,  Oo 
her  return  she  became  receiving  ship  at  New  York,  and 
was  broken  up  in  1843.  Thus  passed  away  the  third  ship 
of  the  line  built  in  the  United  States,  this  port  having  the 
honor  of  building  two  out  of  the  three*  The  Washing- 
ton was  built  by  contract  by  Messrs.  Badger  &  Magraw, 
and  cost  §235,801. 

On   the  1st  of  July  1815,   Captain  Hull  was  relieved 

from  command  of  the  Yard  by  Captain  Thomas  Macdon- 

ough.     The  following  is  a  list  of  officers  ordered  to  the 

Yard  and  who  reported  at  the  same  time  as  did  the  Com- 
mandant : 

Henry  Wells,  First  Lieutenant. 

Joseph  Smith,  Second  Lieutenant. 

Walter  A.  Monteatb,  Third  Lieutenant. 

Wm.  M.  Robins,  Fourth  Lieutenant. 

Bobert  L.  Thorn,  Surgeon. 

Nath.  Lyde,  Purser. 

Joel  Abbot,  Midshipman. 

Samuel  P.  Chamberlain,  Sailing  Master. 

James.  H.  Furguson,  "             " 

Nath.  Stoodley, 

Antonia  Corrcia  Gunner. 
Marines. 

Archibald  Henderson,      Brvt.  Major  Commanding. 

Samuel  E.  Watson,  Second  Lieutenant. 


The  Tarcl  now   began  to   assume  the   appearance  of  a 

Naval  Station.     A   Lodge   was  erected  for  the  Orclinaiy 

^Tien,  and  that  force  increased.     A  store  house  was  erected 

with  one  story  for  a  rigging   ioft,  and  a  new  wharf  was 

also  built. 

The  Kouse  %vhicli   luid  been  fitted  for  the  Commandant 

from  the  old  dwelling  originally  on  the  island,  was  re- 
modelled and  rebuilt,  and  the  grounds  were  also  enclosed. 
The  six  gunboats  were  sold  at  public  auction,  and  one 
was  kept  for  a  time,  as  a  tender  to  the  Yard.  From  1815 
to  1818,  there  was  no  work  done  on  vessels  at  the  Yard, 
the  entire  force  being  employed  in  laying  out  walks  and 
making  preparations  to  erect  buildings.  Quite  a  number 
-of  negro  seamen  were  employed  at  the  Yard  in  the  ordina" 
ry  force,  but  orders  from  the  Department  caused  their 
discharge  and  none  were  allowed  to  be  employed  except- 
ing as  servants  to  officers. 

In  February  1817,  orders  were  received  to  lengthen  the 
ship-house  (now  No.  5)  twelve  feet,  and  to  build  a  ship-of- 
the-line  to  measure  nine  feet  more  in  leno'th  than  the 
Washington  ;  accordingly  on  the  15th  of  April  the  keel 
of  the  Alabama,  seventy-four,  was  lail  in  the  lengthened 
ship  house. 

In  July  1818,  Commodore  Macdonough  was  relieved  as 
Commandant,  by  Captain  Charles  Morris.     This  yeai*  saw 
the   regular  establishment   of  the   Yard  increased  by  the 
addition  of  the  following  list : 
One  Boatswain, 

"     Gunner, 
-    ''     Carpenter, 
"     Boatswain's  Mate, 
"     Carpenter's  Mate, 
'^     Steward, 
Twelve  Seamen,    Twelve  Ordinary  Seamen. 

The  pay-roll  of  workmen  on  the  Yard  at  this  time   did 


44 

not  number  more  than  fifty  mechanics,  and  they  were 
required  under  appropriation  ''Improvement."  A  wharf 
was  built  to  the  West  of  the  ship-house,  and  the  founda- 
tion of  the  building,  now  the  Naval  Store,  was  made. 

In  September  1818  the  order  regulating  the  size  and  de- 
scription of  the  flag  to  be  used  in  the  Navy  of  the  United 
States  was  received,  and  as  there  is  sometimes  a  question 
among  persons  on  shore  as  to  what  is  the  flag  of  the 
United  States,  I  will  here  insert  the  order  that  was  re- 
ceived : 

''That  from  and  after  the  4th  day  of  July  1818,  the  flag 
of  the  Uriited  States  be  thirteen  horizontal  stripes,  alter- 
nate red  and  white;  that  the  union  have  twenty  stars, 
white  in  a  blue  field,  and  that  in  making  all  flags  for  the 
Navy  the  following  rules  will  be  observed.  The  "union" 
will  occupy  one  fourth  of  the  flag,  and  will  rest  on  a  white 
bar  or  stripe  ;  the  stars  to  be  placed  in  parallel  lines." 

The  .first  portion  of  wall,  at  this  Yard  was  laid  west  of 
the  ship-house,  in  March  1819,  and  the  earth  filled  in;  the 
wall  was  extended  some  five  or  six  hundred  feet  to  the 
West.  The  force  on  the  Yard  was  largely  increased,  as  a 
new  ship-house  was  building  (now  No  4)  to  the  West  of 
the   old  one,   and   the   ship   was  being  hurried  along. 

The  old  custom  of  firing  the  morning  and  evening  gun 
was  dispensed  wi1h,  and  the  remains  of  the  old  octagon 
fort  w^ere  removed  to  make  room  for  the  improvements 
which  were  daily  being  added.  In  1820,  the  ship-house 
(4)  was  finished  and  the  "slip"  begun.  Captain  E.  Wat- 
son, U.  S.  M.  corps,  received  permission  to  erect  a  barracks 
for  the  Marine  Guard  of  the  Yard,  using  an  old  house, 
which  is  now  on  the  island,  in  addition  to  the  small  one 
now  occupied  by  them.  The  work  was  almost  entirely 
done  by  the  Guard  and  the  expense  of  the  new  barracks 


¥5 

"wa^B  trifling  ;  it  stodd  where  the  Gun  and  Shot  Park  now 
stands. 

The  un&,ettled  state  of  afeirs,  internal  revolution,  fee- 
ble governments^  a  low  state  of  morality  in  surrounding 
communities  and  the  debasing  influence  of  war,  had  con- 
spired to  foster  a  system  of  piratical  enterprises  in  the 
West  Indies.  In  the  Fall  of  1820  the  accounts  of  these 
piracies  were  received  in  the  United  States,  and  the  Gov- 
ernment immediately  ordered  the  building  of  several  small 
vessels  of  lioht  draught  and  heavy  armament  for  the  pur- 
pose of  exterminating  the  outlaws. 

The  schooner  Porpoise  was  begun  in  Sept,  1820,  and 
launched  on  the  26th  day  of  November  following ;  she 
was  built  at  the  slip  near  the  ''Landing."  Her  cost,  when 
ready  for  sea,  was  $25,529 ;  her  tonnage  about  178  ;  and 
battery  ten  6  pounders  and  one  long  18  pounder.  Her 
first  cruise  was  made  under  Lieut.  Ramage,  and  after 
making  five  cruises  was  lost  in  the  West  Indies  in  1833 
in  command  of  Lieut.  Wm.  Taylor ;  her  crew  were  all 
saved. 

In  1821  112,000  were  appropriated  for  improvements  on 
the  Yard.  The  store  house  and  offices  was  commenced 
this  year ;  this  building  (now  No.  1)  was  the  first  brick 
one  erected  on  the  Yard.  The  keel  of  a  44  gun  frigate 
was  laid  in  the  new  ship-house,  to  be  named  the  Santee, 
and  the  present  fine  timber  dock  with  its  sea  wall  etc., 
was  finished  this  year. 

In  May  1821,  application  was  made  to  the  State  of 
Maine,  "for  the  cession  of  the  jurisdiction  of  the  Island, 
on  which  the  Navy  Yard  at  Portsmouth  is  situated,"  and 
in  the  month  following  it  was  granted ;  the  State  reserv- 
ing the  right  to  serve  processes  on  the  Yard  and  to  arrest 
criminals. 

Wooden  buildings  for    officers'  quarters    were    erected 


46 

upon  the  site  now  occupied  by  those  elegant  structures  of 
brick.  In  May  1828,  Captain  Wm.  M.  Crane  relieved 
Captain  Morris  as  commandant. 

The  store  house  had  advanced  so  far  towards  comple- 
tion, that  the.  offices  were  removed  into  it  on  the  1st  of 
January,  1821,  together  with  the  Naval  stores.  The  cost 
of  this  building  was  $1,000.  In  182T  the  addition  was 
made  to  this  building,  (which  may  be  noticed  by  the  roof 
being  higher,)  and  it  is  now  the  stores  of  Steam  Engineer- 
ing, Equipment,  Navigation  and  Sail-loft,  the  cost  of  which 
was  $15,000.  The  old  wooden  building  which  had  been 
used  as  offices  was  removed  to  the  rear  of  the  Marine  bar- 
racks, and  used  as  a  cook  house  for  the  Marines  and  Men 
of  the  Oixlinary.  Tiie  stone  wall  from  the  ship-house  (5) 
to  the  blacksmith  shop,  w*as  finished  in  1821;  it  Avas  687 
feet  long,  10  feet  high  and  2  1-2  feet  wide. 

Nothing  more  was  done  to  improve  the  Yard,  excepting 
to  finish  the  Mast  and  Spar  House  (now  No.  7)  until  1826. 

Captain  Crane  was  relieved  by  Captain  Chas.  G.  Riclge- 
ley  in  March  1825.  The  following  is  a  list  of  officers  at- 
tached to  the  Yard  1823-25; 

W.  M.  Crane,  Captain  Commandant; 

John  Porter,  Master  " 

Thos.  W.  Wyman,  Lieutenant, 

Wm.  Berry,  " 

Robert  L.  Thorne,  Surgeon. 

Nath.  Lyde,  Purser. 

Nath.  Stoodley,  Master. 

Nath.  Prentiss,  '* 

In  the  year  1825,  the  bridge  leading  to  Kittery  was 
built  and  the  Commandant  made  propositions  to  the  own- 
ers of  the  land  adjoining  the  bridge  to  cut  a  road  leading 
to  the  main  high-way  of  Kittery;  the  owners  of  the  land 


47 

objected  to  such  a  road,  although  the  Governmeut  o:ffered 
to  purchase  their  laud  for  this  purpose.  Finding  that 
nothing  could  be  affected  by  negotiation,  application  was 
made  to  the  Selectmen  of  Kittery,  with  the  assurance  that 
the  damages  would  be  paid  by  the  Government.  The 
road  was  then  laid  out  by  them  according  to  the  Laws  of 
State  and  became  a  Town  way.  The  damages  were  paid 
by  the  United  States,  and  ^communication  by  road  opened 
with  Portsmouth  in  the  summer  of  this  year. 

In  1826  fictivity  was  resumed  and  much  work  in  the 
way  of  improvement  done.  Orders  were  received  to  se- 
lect a  proper  site  for  the  building  of  suitable  barracks  on 
the  Island.  All  wooden  buildings  and  sheds  were  demol- 
ished and  removed,  especially  those  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
ship-houses.  The  upper  story  of  the  Mast  House  was  fin- 
ished for  a  Rigging-loft  and  the  Blacksmith  shop  enlarged 
by  two  additions  being  built  to  it.  Work  was  being  for- 
w^arded  also  on  the  seventy-four  gun  ship  and  the  frigate 
in  the  ship-houses. 

In  November  1826,  Captain  J.  O.  Creighton  relieved 
Captain  Ridgeley  as  commandant.  In  the  Spring  of  1827 
the  foundation  of  four  brick  buildings  for  officers'  quar- 
ters was  commenced  and  in  the  Autumn  following  they 
were  finished.  In  the  Summer  of  the  same  year  a  brick 
block  was  built  for  the  accommodation  of  the  Warrant 
Officers,  Petty  Officers  and  seamen.  Three  Timber  sheds 
were  also  built,  200  feet  long,  Q5  feet  wide  andl5  feet  to 
the  eaves,  the  roofs  were  slated  and  supported  by  stone 
pillars  ten  feet  apart;  they  are  Nos.  45,  46  and  48.  The 
cost  of  these  sheds  was  $9,250  each.  In  March  1827  the 
keel  of  the  sloop-of-war  Concord  was  laid  at  the  little  slip 
where  the  Porpoise  was  built.  The  levelling  for  the  pur- 
pose of  building  the  Barracks  was  completed  and  the 
foundation  laid ;  the  spot  selected  for  the   Barracks  was 


48 

the  extreme  N.  E.  point  of  the  island.  In  August  1828, 
Captain  J.  D.  Henley  relieved  Captain  Creighton  in  com- 
mand. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Officers  of  the  Yard  1829 
to  1833: 

John  D.  Henley,  Commandant. 

Geo.  W.  S.torer,  Master  Com'd't. 

John  C.  Long,  Lieutenant. 

Chas.  Chase,  Surgeon. 

Jos.  H.  Terry,  Purser. 

R.  S.  Tatem,  Master. 

John  Floyd,  Nav.  Constr. 

S.  E.  Watson,  Capt.  U.  S.  M.  C. 

Wm.  W.  Dulanv,  1st  Lieutenant. 

Cons't  Smith,  2d 

On  the  21:th  day  of  September  1828,  the  sloop-of-war 
Concord  was  launched,  the  day  was  ver}^  tine  and  quite  a 
crowd  assembled  to  witness  her  baptism,  at  noon  the  order 
came,  and  the  crash  of  top-mauls  told  the  anxious  crowd 
that  the  time  was  drawing  near.  At  a  little  past  12  M. 
she  glided  beautifully  into  her  destined  element,  and  was 
christened  Concord  by  a  beautiful  lady  of  Portsmouth. 
The  cost  of  the  Concord  was  $115,325.  She  sailed  from 
Norfolk,  Va.  in  1830,  with  John  Randolph  of  Roanoke, 
Minister  to  the  Court  of  St.  Petersburg,  and  after  a 
cruise  of  three  years  in  the  Mediterranean  under  Master 
Commandant  M.  C.  Perry,  and  two  cruises  in  the  West 
Indies  under  Commodores  Mix  and  Fitzhugh ;  she  was 
lost  Oct.  2d,  1843,  on  the  east  coast  of  Africa.  Her  Com- 
mander, William  Boerum,  and  Purser,  Mr.  Hart,  with  one 
man  were  lost  with  her.  The  First  Lieutenant  J.  M.  Gar- 
diner chartered  a  brig  to  bring  home  the  remaining  officers 
iind  crew,  and  in  the  following  year  the  brig  Chipola  was 
sent  out  to  recover  her  guns  etc. 


4^J 

The  In-ick  buildiiTg  for  the  Oi-clii^ary  men  of  the  Yard 
was  finished  ^nd  was  iai'ge  enough  to  accommodate  two 
hundred  men  :  the  gro«.nds  were  levelled  and  fenced,  and 
■as  soon  as  convenient  >a  draft  of  men  was  sent  for  txD  equip 
the  Concord,  the  riomno- and  mastino-  heingr  done  entitelv 
by  the  «e-a.men  wlw  were  to  sail  in  the  ship.  Oct.  1830 
«aw  a  draft  of  one  hundred  fine  seamen  sent  to  this  Yard 
from  the  independence  and  the}'  were  quartered  in  the 
mew  building,  which  (po-ssessing  so  many  agi:'eeahle  feat- 
ures over  the  Receiving  ship  Independence,")  they  named 
the  Sailors'  Snug  Harbor,  this  name  it  retained  until 
•converted  into  quarters  for  Warrant  Officers,  and  in  n^aiiy 
papers  from  the  Department,  this  Sohriquet  was  mentioned 
in  connection  W"ith  the  building. 

On  the  21st  of  November,  1828,  the  Yard  was  visited 
with  one  of  the  most  severe  gales  of  wind,  ever  expe* 
nenced  in  this  vicinity,  and  great  damage  was  done 
to  the  siate  roofs  of  the  building'^s  ;  the  timber  dock  also 
suffered  much  damage,  and  a  lai^'e  portion  of  the  ^*01d 
Elm  Tree"  in  the  Commandant's  grounds  Was  torn  away* 
An  instance  occurred  at  this  time  which  will  serve  to  il- 
lustrate how  justice  was  administered  by  the  I^aval  court's 
martial  of  that  day.  Elias  W.  Chase,  an  ordinary  seaman 
belonging  to  the  Ordinary  force  of  the  Yard,  deserted, 
and  after  a  time  was  discovered  and  arrested  in  Ports- 
mouth. He  was  brought  to  the  Yard,  tried  by  a  Na- 
val Court  and  sentenced  ''to  be  flogged  with  thirty-nine 
lashes  of  the  cat-o'-nine-tails  on  his  back  and  be  discharged 
from  the  service,"  which  sentence  was  carried  out  at  the 
Yard  on  the  Green  before  the  men's  quarters* 

During  the  years  1829-3-1  nothing  of  importance  was 
done  in  improving  the  Yard,  except  the  building  of  a  tim- 
ber shed  of  the  same  description  as  the  former  ones,  at  a 
cost  of  '$9,500,  (No.  43),  no  appropriations  having  been 
made  for  improvements  and  rejDairs 


50 

in  August  1882  tlie  sloop-of-war  Vincennes  arnvecl  from 
a  cruise  in  the  West  Indies,  under  command  of  E.  R.  Shu- 
brick  ;  this  was  the  first  ship  that  had  arrived  at  th'e  Yard 
to  be  paid  oW,  since  the  late  war  with  Great  Britain.  In 
Dec.  of  the  same  year  the  Concord  arrived,  was  paid  off, 
and  both  ships  were  then  phxced  in  Ordinary. 

In  September,  1832,  Captain  Henley  was  detached  from 
the  Yard,  and  Daniel  Turner,  Master  Commandant — the 
Executive  Officer-— took  temporary  command  of  the  Yard 
until  the  9th  of  October  following,  when  Captain  W.  M, 
Crane  Was  again  appointed  Commandant. 

The  Winter  of  1832-33  was  one  of  unusual  severity, 
and  all  work  out  of  doors  was  in  a  great  measure  sus- 
pended until  the  month  of  April,  when  in  compliance 
with  orders  received  from  the  Department,  a  brick  dwel- 
ling was  commenced,  adjoining  the  Quarters  recently  built. 
It  was  the  original  intention  of  the  Department  to  build 
two  dwellings  in  uniformity  with  those  already  built,  but 
it  was  afterwards  decided  to  build  a  lars^e  dwellino^  for 
one  family.  The  building  (now  Quarters  B)  was  finished 
in  December  of  1833,  and  cost  fl5,000. 

In  the  year  1834,  orders  were  received  from  the  Depart- 
ment to  build  a  third  ship-house  on  th  e  Yard,  and  after 
some  delay  in  selecting  a  site,  the  present  one  was  chosen 
for  it,  and  work  begun  at  once  on  the  foundation  and  slip. 
The  Vincennes  sloop-of-war  had  been  fitted  out,  and 
sailed  the  year  previous,  leaving  only  one  ship,  the 
Concord,  at  the  Yard,  and  she  was  being  rapidly  equipped 
for  a  cruise- — when  the  sloop-of-war  Lexington,  Captain 
McKeever,  arrived  from  a  cruise  and  put  out  of  commis- 
sion. During  this  year  many  .improvements  were  made 
on  the  Yard ;  extensive  repairs  being  made  to  the  bridge 
leading  to  Kittery,  which  had  fallen  into  decay  during  the 
past  nine  years ;  the  Timber  dock  was  enlarged. to  accom- 


51 

modate  tlie  amount  of  iini'^jer  which  was  required  year- 
ly for  building  and  repairing  vessels. 

The  Quarters  were  now  completed  and  occupied  by  the 
officers,  and  the  old  Vmilding  which  had  been  occupied  by 
the  Lieutenant  of  the  Yard,  was  fitted  up  at  small  expense 
as  a  temporary  hospital  for  the  Station. 

Lieut.  Joseph  Cutts,  attached  to  the  Yard,  had  for  s^.ome 
time  showed  signs  of  mental  aberration,  and  in  Septem- 
ber of  this  year  he  shot  himself  through  the  head  ;  his 
death  cast  a  gloom  over  tlie  Yard,  as  he  was  much  respect- 
ed by  ail  who  knew  him. 

In  1815,  the  ship-house  had  advanced  so  rapidly  towards 
completion  that  preparations  were  made  to  build  a  ship 
in  it.  In  1838,  this  magnificent  structure  was  entirely 
finished;  the  total  cost  being  -171,000.  [  do  not  think 
that  a  more  elegant  ship-house  exists  than  this  ;  certainly 
not  in  any  Dock  yard  of  England,  France,  or  Spain, 
have  I  seen  a  building  more  adapted  to  the  purpose  for 
which  this  was  designed,  and  in  the  Yards  of  the  United 
States  it  is  uneciualled.  The  Lexington  and  Concord  were 
both  fitted  for  sea,  and  sailed  from  the  Yard  in  1837. 

The  barracks  of  the  Ordinary  were  raised  one  story,  and 
made  into  dwellings  for  the  Warrant  Officers  at  a  cost  of 
14000, 

In  1836,  the  entire  Marine  force  of  the  Yard,  was  or- 
dered to  duty,  with  the  Army  in  Florida,  against  the 
Creek  Indians,  thus  leaving  the  Yard  without  a  Marine 
guard;  although  a  force  of  watchmen  were  employed  in 
their  stead,  at  a  monthly  pay  of  $28. 

On  the  14th  of  April,  1838,  Mr.  John  Floyd,  Naval 
Constructor  stationed  at  this  Yard  for  several  years,  died 
very  suddenly  of  fever,  he  having  contracted  a  severe 
cold  in  laying  the  keel  and  setting  up  the  frame  of  a  sloop- 
of-war  in  the  new  ship-house.     He  was  succeeded  by  Mr. 


I.)  i-l 


Samtiel  M.  Pook  who  repotted  in  Kovember  of  the  ^-SLTBe- 
year.  The  Dew  ship-house  was  now  finished  and  a  small 
sloop  was  being  built  therein.  On  the  14tli  of  June,  1839.^ 
the  sloop-of-war  Preble  ■^rets  launched,  having  been  com-- 
pleted  m  thirteen  months  from  the  laying  of  the  keel^  and 
"wheB  ready  for  sea  her  ec^t  was  fI12,T82.  Ob  the  2d  of 
June  1840,  the  glox)p  Preble,  Comd'r.  Bres'se  sailed  from 
tliis  Station  bound  fox  the  coast  of  Lgibrador,  and  after 
making  six  cruises  upon  different  stations,  she  was  con- 
verted into  a  Practice  Ship  for  Midshipmen  and  afterwards 


For  some  time  past  a  wharf  was  being  binlt  from  the 
old  ship-house  to  the  eastward.  The  manner  of  bmlding 
was  by  cob-woik  of  timber  filled  in  with  stone  as  a  fonn- 
dation.  On  the  1st  of  Aiio^ust,  the  entire  fabric  s^ave 
away  with  a  loud  noise,  aacl  was  precipitated  into  the 
deep  water.  The  following  account  of  the  accident  is- 
talsen  from  the  Portsmouth^  K.  H,,  Journal  of  that  date  t 

''On  Thursday  afternoon,  August  l&t,  at  about  low  water 
a  portion  of  the  sea  wall,  of  the  new  stone  wharf  now- 
building  at  the  Kavy  Yard,  separated  from  the  main  body 
and  fell  into  the  river^  carrying  with  it  a  worthy  laborer 
by  the  name  of'  Mugridge  belonging  to  Kittery,  and  slight- 
1}'  injuring  another.  No  satisfactory  cause  for  this  acci- 
dent has  yet  been  discovered,  altho'  it  i&  supposed  to  be 
owing  to  the  gi"Ving  way  of  the  cob  work  foundation  on 
which  the  upper  portion  was  erected.  Fears  had  for  some 
time  been  entertained  with  regard  to  the  ea&tern  wall,  but 
it  was  not  until  the  morning  of  the  accident  that  suspi- 
cions were  had  of  the  front  section,  at  which  time  how- 
ever, a  cracking  of  the  stone  being  heard  by  the  work- 
men, and  the  premises  above  water  being  examined  by 
Commodore  Crane  himself,  while  those  below  were  in- 
spected by  means  of  the  diving  bell ,  it   was  found  that 


fourteen  stones,  each  ten  feet  by  eiohteen  inches,  had  bro- 
ken in  two  altho'  the  nnder  layers  of  all  had  not,  as  some 
have  supposed,  slipped  from  the  rock  bottom  on  which 
the  south-eastern  comer  of  a  part  of  the  front  is  located." 

About  100  feet  of  sea  wall  was  destroyed  by  this  acci- 
dent, and  the  Department  at  once  decided  that  the  ser- 
vices of  a  Civil  Engineer  were  required  at  the  Yard,  to 
%  obviate  any  future  accident  of  this  nature,  consequently 
Mr.  Calvin  Brown  was  employed  as  Engineer  and  Draughts- 
man at  a  pay  of  three  dollars  a  da}',  and  from  this  date 
the  services  of  a  Civil  Engineer  have  never  been  dispensed 
with  at  this  Yard. 

As  soon  as  the  Preble  sloop-of-war  had  been  launched 
from  the  new  ship-house,  preparations  were  made  to  im- 
mediately build  a  frigate  of  the  largest  class,  and  in  Au- 
gust, 1839,  the  keel  of  the  Congress  was  laid,  and  on  the 
16th  of, August,  1841,  she  was  launched;  the  Army  and 
Navy  Chronicle  of  Aug.,  1841,  gives  the  following  account 
of  the  event: 

"The  frigate  Congress  was  launched  at  Portsmouth,  N. 
H.,  on  Monday  Aug.  16  about  fifteen  minutes  past  eleven, 
amidst  a  salute  of  thirteen  guns  and  the  cheers  of  a  large 
number  of  citizens  from  the  wharves  and  surrounding 
hills.  She  is  a  beautiful  ship  of  1867  tons  and  carrying 
fifty  guns.  The  day  was  fine  and  there  were  many  per- 
sons collected  to  see  the  sight.  There  were  several  steam- 
boats in  attendance." 

The  Old  Congress  was  launched  from  the  adjoining  is- 
land at  noon,  August  15th,  1799,  just  76  years  ago.  She 
was  190  feet  long  on  the  spar  deck,  50  feet  beam  and  1700 
tons  burden.  The  cost  of  the  old  Congress  was  1197,246, 
and  that  of  the  new  $399,088,  over  twice  the  cost  of  the 
former.     This  fri-i^aet  had  a  fine  record,  and  as  she  was 


54 

one  of  the  early  victims  of  the  rebellion  we  will  pass  hur- 
riedly over  her  history. 

First  cruise  was  made  to  the  Mediterranean  1842-3, 
under  Captain  P.  F.  Voorhees;  second  to  Brazil,  1844-5, 
under  the  same  commander ;  third  to  the  Pacific,  1846-7, 
under  Comd'r.  S.  F.  Dupont ;  fourth  to  Brazil,  1850-1, 
under  Capt.  I.  Mcintosh;  fifth  to  the  Mediterranean, 
1853-5,  under  Capt.  Long;  sixth.,  MeditejTanean  Squad- 
ron, 1857-9,  Comd'r.  Thos.  F.  Craven.  Burned  in  Hamp- 
ton Roads,  Va.,  in  action  with  the  Rebel  iron  clad  Mer- 
rimac,  8th  of  March,  1862,  while  under  command  of  Jo- 
seph B.  Smith,  her  First  Lieutenant,  her  commander  being 
absent  on  duty.  The  description  given  by  Boynton  in 
his  admirable  work,  will  serve  to  paint  the  distruction  of 
the  noble  ship. 

''At  a  little  past  2  P.  M.,  the  huge  mailed  frigate  had 
approached  the  Congress  within  grape  shot  distance;  and 
then  every  man  in  his  place,  the  guns  trained  to  the  pro- 
per elevation,  the  lanyards  in  the  gunner's  hand,  scarcely 
a  sound  was  heard  throughout  the  devoted  ship  "while  they 
awaited  the  attack  of  the  dreaded  foe.  A  puff  of  smoke 
from  one  of  her  bow  guns,  and  every  breath  stopped  an 
instant,  till  a  storm  of  grape  swept  over  the  deck  and  rat- 
tled on  her  sides.  A  long  breath  of  relief  that  it  ^as  no 
worse.  Keeping  on  her  course,  she*  was  passing  the  Con- 
gress at  less  than  one  fourth  of  a  mile  distant,  heading 
for  the  Cumberland.  At  that  distance  the  Congress  de- 
livered her  broadside.  Her  heaviest  shot  glanced  harm- 
less from  the  side  of  the  mailed  monster,  and  all  felt  that 
the  battle  was  already  decided,  and  that  nothing  remained 
but  to  surrender  or  to  be  destroyed  with  their  ship.  The 
return  fire  of  the  Merrimac  only  confirmed  their  worst 
fears.  Her  shells  came  crashing  through  the  sides  of  their 
ship,  spreading  death  and  ruin  on  every  side.     They  knew 


55 


that  success  was  hopeless,  escape  impossible  and  resistance 
ruin.  Yet  an  American  fifty  gun  ship  could  not  he  sur- 
rendered thus,  so  the  strong  hearted  martyrs  stood  by 
their  flag  and  to  their  guns.  But  it  was  not  the  intention 
of  the  rebel  commander  to  finish  his  work  then.  Passing 
the  Congress  at  a  distance  of  about  three  hundred  yards, 
he  ran  direct  for  the  Cumberland." 

The  reader  of  these  pages  can  imagine  for  himself  the 
feelings  of  the  officers  and  crew  of  the  Congress  as  they 
gazed  in  silence  at  the  sinking  of  the  Cumberland,  and 
perfectly  helpless,  awaited  their  doom.  As  soon  as  the 
fate  of  the  Cumberland  was  seen,  the  jib  and  top-sails 
of  the  Congress  were  set,  and  with  the  aid  of  a  tug 
the  ship  was  run  ashore  under  the  heavy  fire  of  the  small- 
er steamers,  whose  guns  being  rifled  did  fearful  execution* 
The  ship  had  been  set  on  fire  in  many  places  by  the  hot 
shot  from  the  Merrimac  and  no  hopes  were  entertained  of 
saving  her.  Manning  such  boats  as  remained,  the  wound 
ed  and  crew  were  removed,  and  in  a  short  time  the 
flames  reached  the  magazine,  and  the  fragments  of  the 
shattered  and  bloody  ship,  were  scattered  over  the  waves  ^ 
the  commanding  officer  of  the  Congress  was  killed  and  ai 
large  number  of  the  officers  and  crew.  Thus  perished  th© 
first  frigate  built  upon  the  new  Yard. 

Captain  Crane  was  relieved  from  the  command  of  the 
Yard  in  October,  1840,  by  Captain  John  D.  Sloat. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Officers  of  the  Yard  ia 

1840: 

J.  D.  Sloat  Capt.  Commandant. 

T.  W.  Wyman»  Commander. 

Geo.  F.  Pierson,  Lieutenant. 

Chas.  Chase,  Surgeon. 

Thos.  Breeze,  Purser. 

Jacob  Mull,  Master. 

Lawrence  Gallai^her.  Boatswain. 

Wm.  Black, 

Jno.  Green,  Carpenter. 


50 

The  former  practice  of  masting  vessels  by  erecting 
sheers  on  board,  being  tedious  and  expensiA^e,  Capt.  Sloat 
received  permission  to  bnild  a  pair  of  permanent  sheers, 
which  he  did,  using  the  lower  masts  of  the  74  Alabama 
for  that  purpose  ;  Avhen  erected  they  cost  $2,240.  The 
masts  of  the  Congress  frigate  were  the  first  put  in  with 
the  new  sheers. 

A  ^diving  Bell  was  purchased  for  the  use  of  the  Yard 
and  work  immediately  began  by  removing  the  debris  of 
the  fallen  sea  wall,  under  the  supeiintendence  of  the  Civil 
Engineer  of  the  Yard. 

Orders  were  received  to  build  a  first  class  sloop  at  the 
Yard,  and  as  soon  as  the  frigate  Congress  had  been 
launched,  work  began  upon  the  Saratoga  and  continued 
without  interruption  until  July,  1842,  when  she  was  com- 
pleted, and  upon  the  26th  of  that  month  was  launched. 

On  the  i5th  the  Congress  sailed  for  the  Mediterranean. 
Work  was  continued  this  year  upon  the  Sea  Wall,  and 
bridges  were  built  over  the  slips  of  the  ship-houses.  The 
work  of  levelling  tKe  hills  was  being  carried  on,  and  fiU- 
ing  m  to  the  Sea  Wall. 

In  October  of  1842,  the  old  system  of  a  Board  of  Com- 
missioners for  the  Navy  was  superseded  b/  the  Bureau 
System,  and  the  organization  was  as  follows : 

Bureau  of  Yards  and  Docks,  Commodore  L.  Warrin- 
ton.  Chief. 
*'         "  Ordinance  and    Hydrography   Commodore 

Wm.  Crane,  Chief. 
"       ■  "•   Construction,  Repair  and  Equipment,  Cap- 
tain David  Conner,  Chief. 
''        , "  Provision    and    Clothing,  C.  W.  Goldsbor- 

ough,  Chief. 
"         "  Medicine  and  Surgery,  Dr.   W.  P.  C.  Bar- 
ton, Chief. 


57 

The  weather  during  the  winter  of  this  year  was  unusu- 
ally severe,  and  work-  out  of  doors  was  a  matter  of  impos- 
sibility ;  the  force  was  reduced  to  the  lowest  possible  num- 
ber that  was  necessary  to  the  efficiency  of  the  Yard.  On 
the  15tli  of  February,  1843,  a  tribute  of  respect  of  thir- 
teen guns  was  paid  to  the  memory  of  Commodore  Isaac 
Hull,  the  first  Commandant  of  this  Yard,  who  died  at  his 
residence  on  the  ioth  inst. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  16th  of  March,  1843,  the  sloop 
of  war  Saratoo^a  sailed  from  the  Yard  under  command  of 
Commander  J.  Tatnall :  the  weather  was  threatening,  but 
it  was  thought  that  she  could  obtain  an  offing  and  clear 
the  coast  before  the  weather  would  prove  too  stormy. 
Before  night  a  strong  N.  E.  gale  accompanied  with  a  blind- 
ing snow-storm,  compelled  her  to  return,  and  the  thick- 
ness of  the  snow  and  darkness  of  the  night  rendered  it 
impossible  to  see  any  light  or  landmark,  and  the  lead  alone 
was  her  guide :  the  gale  increasing  with  such  violence, 
all  control  of  the  ship  was  lost,  and  every  anchor  let  go, 
backed  with  some  of  her  heaviest  guns;  and  to  prevent 
her  drifting  on  shore  all  three  of  her  masts  were  cut  away 
and  she  was  left  a  mere  hull ;  this  saved  the  ship  and  she 
rode  out  the  gale  in  safety ;  when  it  moderated  she  was 
discovered  about  two  cable  lengths  from  the  shore  at  Rye 
Beach — had  she  driven  but  a  short  distance  farther  she 
would,  in  all  probability,  have  gone  to  pieces,  and  but  few 
would  have  been  left  to  tell  the  tale,  for  only  a  short  dis- 
tance from  her  stern  a  reef  of  rocks  of  the  most  danger- 
ous chartacter,  lay  between  the  ship  and  the  shore.  As 
soon  as  the  gale  abated,  a  small  steamer  was  sent  and  the 
ship  towed  back  to  the  Yard,  where  she  was  refitted. 

The  appropriation  for  improvement  of  the  Yard  for  this 
year  (1843)  was  $41,000,  which  allowed  some  work  to  be 
done  on  the  walls  and  buildings.     The  sloop  of  war  Ports- 


58 

mouth  was  built  and  launched,  this  year;  she  was  an  exact 
counterpart  of  the  Saratoga,  and  built  in  the  ship-house 
recently  vacated  by  that  vessel. 

On  the  2d  of  November,  Captain  Sloat  was  relieved  by 
Captain  George  W.  Storer  as  Commandant  of  the  Yard. 

The  Boat  house  and  landing  stage  was  built  in  1844,  at 
a  cost  of  $1221.50,  and  work  commenced  in  blasting  aAvay 
the  ledge  in  the  middle  of  the  island,  with  this  exception 
no  other  improvements  were  made  on  the  Yard  until  1846, 

The  Portsmouth  sloop  of  war  sailed  in  December,  1844, 
having  been  fitted  for  sea  during  the  Fall  of  that  year. 

Nov.  1846,  Commodore  Daniel  Turner  relieved  Capt. 
Storer  in  command. 

The  attention  of  the  Department  had  been  attracted  to 
the  subject  of  a  Dry  Dock  at  this  Yard,  and  a  board  of 
Civil  Engineers,  under  Mr.  Sanger,  were  ordered  to  exam- 
ine the  island  for  the  purpose  of  locating  the  site.  The 
subject  was  discussed  in  all  its  points,  and  the  Board  final- 
ly decided  that  a  floating  dock  would  be  n^ch  cheaper 
and  better  suited  to  the  requirements  of  this  Yard  than  a 
stone  Dock,  and  reported  their  views  to  the  Bureau.  A 
controversy  then  arose  between  the  two  inventors  of 
Floating  Docks.  Messrs.  Gilbert  &  Secor,  the  inventors 
of  the  Floating  Balance  Dock,  claiming  for  their  inven- 
tion a  superiority  over  that  of  the  Sectional  Dock  of 
Messrs.  Moody  &  Dakin ;  the  Bureau  was  much  embar- 
rassed by  these  conflicting  claims,  and  finally  settled  the 
controversy  by  building  two  of  each  at  the  different  Yards. 
Cisterns  were  built  in  different  parts  of  the  Yard  at  a  cost 
of  $31,528. 

In  May  of  1847,  the  keel  of  the  U.  S.  Steamer  Saranac 
was  laid  in  the  new  ship-house,  and  work  commenced  in 
earnest.  Mr.  Parris  reported  as  Civil  Engineer  of  the 
Yard,    retaining    Mr.    Brown    as  his  assistant.     In  1848, 


59 

work  again  resumed  in  earnest  on  the  Yard,  and 
under  the  directions  of  the  Civil  Engineer,  Mr.  Par- 
ris,  the  work  of  levelling  was  carried  on  with  vigor.  The 
Smitheiy  was  enlarged  and  rebuilt,  and  the  Sea  Wall  fin- 
ished to  the  Knee  Dock.  In  November,  1848,  the  side 
wheel  steam  frigate  Saranac  was  launched.  As  this  ship 
was  the  first  steamer  built  at  the  Yard  we  will  trace  her 
history  until  we  find  her  sinking  in  the  blue  water  of  the 
Pacific, 

Her  first  cruise  was  made  in  the  Home  Squadron,  1850- 
1,  under  Captain  J.  Tattnall;  second  cruise,  Brazil,  1852, 
Captain  Pendergast ;  third  cruise,  Mediterranean,  1854-6, 
Captain  J.  C.  Long.  During  the  war  she  was  variously 
employed,  afterwards  cruised  in  the  Pacific  and  finally 
was  lost  June  1st,  18T5,  at  Seymore  Pass,  near  Vancou- 
ver's Island,  under  command  of  Captain  Wm.  Queen. 
The  following  account  is  taken  fri)m  the  Army  and  Navy 
Journal  of  the  26th  of  June,  1875 : 

"The  United  States  Steamer  Saranac,  having  on  board 
as  passengers,  Lieut.  Washburn  Maynard,  U.  S.  N.,  and 
Dr.  Emil  Bessels  of  the  Smithsonian  Institute,  left  this 
port  (San  Francisco)  June  8th  for  Sitka  and  Behring 
Straits,  on  a  scientific  expedition  and  to  mal^e  a  collection 
for  the  Philadelphia  Centennial  Exhibition."  On  her  way 
north  she  took -the  inside  channel  between  Vancouver's 
Island  and  the  mainland,  called  at  Nanaimo,  and  at  a  quar- 
ter of  9  A.  M.,  on  Friday  the  18th  inst.,  struck  the  famous 
mid-channel  rock  in  Seymour  Narrows.  This  is  the  rock 
so  much  talked  of  in  connection  with  the  proposed  bridge 
at  the  Narrows  for  the  Canadian  Overland  Railroad. 

The  'Saranac'  was  going  fourteen  knots,  with  a  seven 
knot  current,  at  the  time  of  striking.  After  striking  she 
hung  for  a  few  minutes  and  then  swung  off.  Her  bow 
was  immediately  run  into  the  Vancouver  shore  and  made 


60 

fast  with  a  hawser  to  a  tree.  An  hour  afterwards  she  had 
sunk  completely  out  of  sight,  not  even  her  mastheads 
being  visible,  But  little  of  the  stores  or  personal  effects 
of  the  officers  and  crew  were  saved.  The  ship's  company 
were  encamped  on  the  beach,  with  no  shelter  and  little 
provisions.  Lieut.  Comdr.  Sander  with  the  pilot  and  thir- 
teen men,  made  their  way  on  foot  to  Victoria,  V.  I.,  where 
they  arrived  last  night.  The  steamer  'Otter'  left  this 
morning  for  the  wreck.  No  lives  were  lost.  Rear  Admi- 
ral Cochrane  with  H.  B  M.  iron  clad  'Repulse,'  has  left 
for  the  scene  of  the  disaster." 

The  Powder  Magazine  which  had  been  commenced  the 
year  previous,  was  finished  in  1849.  The  Decatur  sloop- 
of-war  arrived  in  Nov.,  and  after  being  ]3ut  out  of  commis- 
sion was  placed  in  Ordinary.  Captain  Thos.  W.  Wyman 
relieved  Commodore  Turner  as  Commandant  on  the  2d  of 
November,  1849. 

The  following  is  a  list  of  the  Officers  of  the  Yard  Jan. 

1st,  1850 : 

Captain  T.  W.  Wyman,  Com'd't.  Boats' n.  Wm.  Black, 

Comd'r.  J.  E.  Jarvis,  Gunner,  R.  F.  Dunn, 

Lieut.  S.  Hazard,  Carp't.  W.  D.  Jenkins, 

•'      H.  Erench,  Sailmaker  J.  G.  Gallagher. 

Surgeon,  C.  Chase,  Purser,  H.  Bridge, 
Master,  John  Kobinson,  Marines. 

Benj.  Delano,  ISTaval  Constructor.  Capt.  Ward  Marston, 
Alex.  Parris,  Civil  Engineer.  ''    A.  Brevoort. 

The  principal  object  of  interest  and  most  important  fea- 
ture of  this  establishment,  is  the  Floating  Balance  Dock, 
without  this,  the  Navy  Yard  would  be  deficient  in  the 
most  important  element  of  a  Naval  establishment.  In  a 
publication  of  this  nature,  a  description  in  detail  can  hard- 
ly be  expected  ;  still,  without  citing  some  of  the  more  im- 
portant facts  connected  with  the  Dock,  this  little  history 
would  not  be  complete. 


61 

In  1851,  a  contract  was  entered  inta  with  Messrs,  John 
S.  Gilbert  and  Zeno  Secor  of  New  York,  to  construct, 
with  all  the  necessary  machinery  and  appendages,  a  Float- 
ing Balance  Dock  and  Railway  to  the  satisfaction  of  the 
Superintending  Engineer.  The  test  was  made  in  Juna, 
1852,  and  the  works  accepted. 

Mr.  Parris,  the  Civil  Engineer,  having  died  after  a  long 
sickness,  B.  F.  Chandler,  Esq.,  was  appointed  to  fill  the 
vacancy,  and  commenced  at  once  upon  his  duties.  The 
site  having  been  selected,  a  coffer  dam  was  constructed, 
within  which  the  excavations  were  to  be  made  for  the 
foundations,  floors  and  walls  of  the  Dock  Basin.  The 
whole  was  to  rest  on  pile  foundation,  three  thousand  of 
which  were  driven  through  the  earth  to  solid  rock.  They 
were  driven  three  feet  from  centre  to  centre  and  the  inter- 
stices filled  with  clay  ;  they  were  then  cut  off  twelve  feet 
below  high  water  mark,  capped  with  timber,  and  the  en- 
tire surface  covered  with  five  inch  plank.  Five  courses 
of  hammered  granite  in  the  direction  of  the  length  of  the 
Dock  were  laid,  of  one  foot  rise,  and  a  bed  of  concrete  six 
inches  thick,  between  the  stone  bearings.  The  Basin  com- 
pleted is  three  hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  length  and  one 
hundred  and  twenty-five  feet  in  width,  with  granite  walls 
fourteen  feet  high  of  large  stone,  hammered  beds,  builds, 
joints  and  face  and  laid  in  cement;  at  the  outer  end  of. 
the  walls  of  the  Basin,  and  across  the  bottom  in  the  stone 
work,  is  a  groove  cut  two  inches  wide  and  six  inches  deep, 
to  receive  the  keel  and  stems  of  a  boat  gate,  which  when 
in  place,  encloses  the  dock  within  the  stone  basin.  The 
Dock  was  constructed  on  the  island  opposite  the  Navy 
Yard,  called  Pierce's  Island,  and  when  completed,  was 
floated  across  the  river.  The  length  of  the  Floating 
Dock  is  three  hundred  and  fifty  feet;  breadth  outside,  one 
hundred  and  five  feet,  four  inches,  and  walls  thirt^^-eight 


62 

feet  high.  The  walls  or  chambers  on  each  side  are  seven 
feet,  eight  inches  wide,  the  entire  length  of  the  Dock.  On 
these  walls  and  amidship  of  the  dock  is  the  machinery  for 
working  it  while  docking  or  undocking  vessels.  On  each 
wall  is  an  engine  and  boiler  of  fifty  horse  pov^er  geared 
and  connected  with  twelve  pumps.  These  pumps  are  each 
two  feet  square  and  four  feet  stroke,  and  when  in  opera- 
tion, will  raise  seventeen  thousand,  four  hundred  and  eigh- 
teen tons  of  water  per  hour.  There  are  fifty-two  gates  in 
the  Dock,  by  which,  with  proper  manipulation  in  connec- 
tion with  pumps,  the  Dock  is  raised  or  depressed  with  fa- 
cility and  perfectly  balanced  ;  it  is  capable  of  raising  a  ship 
of  five  thousand  tons  weight.  When  a  ship  requires  ex- 
tensive repairs,  she  is  docked  on  a  frame  called  a  ^'cradle," 
and  while  resting  on  this  cradle  supported  by  a  railway  of 
three  lines  of  timber,  she  is  drawn  out  of  the  Dock  upon 
the  land,  on  an  elevation  of  one  inch  in  eight  feet.  She 
is  then  shored  and  repaired.  The  Dock  is  now  at  liberty 
and  may  be  used  for  docking  another  ship  should  occasion 
require  it. 

The  apparatus  by  which  a  ship  is  drawn  upon  the  rail- 
way on  the  land,  is  an  exceedingly  ingenious  and  complica- 
ted piece  of  machanism.  It  is  an  hydraulic  engine  opera- 
ted by  steam ;  the  weight  of  the  cylinder  alone,  is  eleven 
tons  and  the  piston  nearly  two  tons.  In  returning  the 
ship  to  the  water  the  operation  of  hauling  up  and  docking 
is  simply  reversed.  The  hauling  power  of  the  hydraulic 
engine  is  five  thousand  tons  up  the  railway  or  inclined 
plane,  before  mentioned.  The  rate  at  which  the  ship  is 
moved  is  generally  one  foot  in  one  minute. 

The  necessity  of  excavating  a  basin  with  a  depth  of  32 
feet  at  high  water  became  obvious.  In  this  the  Dock  is 
sunk,  in  order  to  receive  the  ship — pr-eparatory  to  pump- 
ing out  the  Dock — thereby  raising  the  ship  entirely  out  of 


63 

the  water  with  the  Dock,  in  readiness  to  enter  the  stone 
basin.  Soundings  were  made  in  the  Piscataqua,  in  front 
of  the  basin  and  the  bottom  was  found  to  be  uneven,  con- 
sisting of  gravel,  sand,  clay  and  large  masses  of  ledge ;  a 
dredging  machine  being  procured,  thousands  of  cubic 
yards  of  sediment  were  removed  and  deposited  on  the 
*Yard  for  filling  low  grounds  and  grading.  By  these  means 
the  ledges  were  laid  bare  and  submarine  blasting  com- 
menced, to  remove  the  rock  formation  to  the  depth  re- 
quired. The  extremely  uneven  surface  and  hardness  of 
the  material  was  a  formidable  obstacle.  A  Diving  Bell 
was  necessary,  and  an  organized  force  was  selected  from 
inexperienced  workmen.  The  work  was  staked  out  be- 
neath the  tide,  entirely  by  the  Civil  Engineer  and  under 
his  sole  control.  For  two  seasons  this  work  was  in  prog- 
ress, and  during  that  time  the  Engineer  descended  daily  to 
inspect  the  work  and  direct  the  workmen.  The  large 
excavations  were  made  by  blasting  with  Gove's  battery ; 
and  before  the  task  was  accomplished  more  than  ten  thou- 
sand cubic  yards  were  detached,  removed  and  deposited  in 
deep  pockets,  within  or  outside  the  limits  selected  for  this 
deep  basin.  This  excavation  was  continued  in  this  man- 
ner^until  a' level  floor  was  secured,  (and  no  sharp  project- 
ing rocks  could  injure  the  coppering  of  the  Dock,)  upon 
which  the  Dock  could  rest  thirty-two  feet  below  high  water 
mark.  For  the  security  of  the  Dock,  and  safety  of  both 
Dock  and  ship,  three  stone  mooring  piers  were  erected 
twenty-two  feet  square  at  the  base  and  battering  on  three 
sides  to  twelve  feet  square  at  low  water.  These  piers  were 
raised  twelve  feet  square,  above  high  water,  Avith  a  stone 
mooring  post  in  the  centre.  They  were  composed  of 
large  blocks  got  out  to  exact  dimensions,  V3ed,  builds  and 
joints  hammered,  and  the  blocks  above  low  water  mark  se- 
cured together  with  copper  bolts.  This  work  also  was  laid 
with  the  Diving  Bell  to  low  water  mark. 


64 

The  Floating  Dock  has  been  in  successful  operation  from 
the  day,  of   its   acceptance,   and  more   than  one  hundred 
ships  have  been  docked  without  accident  or  damage.     Dur- 
ing the  twenty-three  years  in  use  no  very   extensive  re- 
pairs have  been  made,  and  the  machinery  and   Dock  are 
now  in  almost  as  good  condition  as  wlien  the  Department 
accepted  them  of  the  Contractors.     The  de3p  basin  was^ 
excavated  in  the  shortest  possible  time  without  the  slight- 
est accident,  and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of   the  Depart- 
ment.    As  an  evidence  of  absence  of  floating  sediment  in 
the  waters  of  the  Piscataqua   River,  the    deep  basin  has 
been  examined  with  the  Diving  Bell,  and  the  marks  of  the 
tools  left  by  the  workmen  years  before  have  not  been  ob- 
literated.    The  entire  cost  of   this   extensive   addition  to 
the  Yard,  with  the  repabs  of   twenty-three  years  added 
etc.,  has  fallen  short  of  a  million  dollars,  and  a  more  effec- 
tive Dock  is  not  to  be  found  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic. 
The  fine  granite  building  now  known  as  the  Head  House 
was  finished  in  1853.     It  was  formerly  of  onl}^  one   story, 
and  was  intended  for  the  engine  house  connected  with  the 
Dry  Dock;  but  in  the  year  following,  it  was  remodelled  by 
Mr.  C.  and  another  story  and  a  half  added,  together  with 
an  addition  for.  the  boiler  and  engines.     This  building  is 
one  of  the  finest  on  the  Yard,    being  built  of  undressed 
granite  with  hammered  granite  coignes,  dormer    windows 
and  slate  roof.      In   October,  1852,  the  Bureau  tested  the 
power  of  the  Dry  Dock  by  taking  the  old  Line-of-Battle- 
Ship  Franklin  into    it,  and    hauling    her     out  upon    the 
railway.     This  old  74  was  very  heavy,  and  was  considered 
as     a  complete  test  of  the  powers  of  the  new  Dock ;  she 
was  taken  successfully  from  the  Dock  by  means  of  the  Hy- 
draulic, and  left  in  a  position  to  be  taken  to  pieces,  which 
was  done  at  once. 

On  the  first  day  of  November,  1852,  Captain  Wyman 


65 

was  relieved  In^  Captain  Joseph  Smoot.  During  this  win- 
ter but  little  was  done  on  the  Yard  in  the  way  of  improve- 
ments. The  weather  being  severe,  out  of  door  work  w^as 
entirely  suspended. 

During  the  year  1853,  the  sloop  Decatur,. frigate  Prince- 
ton, frigate  Fulton  and  sloop  (^yane  arrived  at  this  Yard, 
the  squadron   in  corhmand  of  Commo.  W.  B.  Shubrick. 

The  new  ship-house  w^as  lengthened  fifty  feet,  and  the 
keel  of  the  frigate  Franklin-laid  therein,  the  old  ship  being 
under  process  of  demolition  upon  the  railway.  In  'the 
month  of  February,  1855,  the  frigate  Santee  was  launched 
from  the  ship-house  in  which  she  had  remained  under 
process  of  construction  since  the  3^ear  1820.  This  ship 
was  built  upon  the  old  plan  and  was  1726  tons  burden, 
mounting  eight  8  inch  guns  and  forty-tw^o  32  pounders' 
making  a  total  of  50  guns.  The  keel  of  a  Light-Ship 
was  laid  in  the  ship-house  soon  after  the  launching 
Santee,  and  in  the  summer  of  the  same  year  she  was 
launched.  This  ship  was  built  for  the  Light  House  Board 
and  intended  for  Nantucket  Shoals,  where  soon  afterwards 
she  was  taken;  it  is  bufc  just  to  remark  in  this  connec- 
tion, that  she  was  pronounced  as  the  "most  excellent  Light- 
Vessel  in  service.' ' 

In  June  of  this  year    the  frigate  Constitution,   (famil- 
iarly termed  "The  Old  Ironsides''^  arrived  at  this  Yard 
from  Key  West,  wearing  the  Broad  Pennant  of    Commo- 
dore Mayo ;  she  had  made  the    passage  from    Key  West 
in  nine  days,  and  was  put  out  of   commission    and    placed 
in    Ordinary  soon  after  her  arrival.     The  appropriation  for 
the   Yard  this  year  being  $59,000,   some     improvements 
were  made.     A  Cooper  shop  was'erected,  and  Watchmen's 
quarters  built.     The  Shell  house  was  finished   and  work 
on  the  Dock  Basin  continued.     Sewers  were  built  and  the 
main  sewer  finished,  to  carry  the  drainage  from  the  Offi- 
cers' Quarters  to  the  river. 


66 

Commodore  John  T.  Newton   relieved  Captain  Smoot  as 
Commandant  of  the  Yard  in  October  of  1855,  and  the  re- 
mainder of  this  year  was  devoted  to  finishing  up  the  work  al- 
ready begun,  and  in  hurrying  to  completion  the  frigate 
Franklin,  now  well  under  way. 

In  April,  1856,  permission  having  been  obtained  from 
the  Navy  Department  by  the  inhabitants  of  Seavey's  Is- 
land, a  bridge  was  built  from  the  Navy  Yard  across  the 
narrow  stream  which  separated  it  from  that  island ;  this 
bridge  was  of  course  to  be  subject  to  the  discipline  of  the 
Yard,  but  as  may  be  readily  seen,  was  the  occasion  of 
much  annoyance  to  the  Yard  authorities,  as  well  as  dis- 
comfort to  the  inhabitants  of  the  island.  In  order  to  avoid 
theft  from  the  Government,  persons  carting  private  mate- 
rial through  the  Yard  were  compelled  to  submit  their  loads 
to  the  inspection  of  the  Watchmen ;  and  at  night,  even 
packages  carried  by  persons  were  subjected  to  examina- 
tions ;  the  continued  vexations  attending  this  privilege  of 
passing  through  the  Yard,  ultimately  led  to  the  purchase 
of  the  adjoining  island  by  the  Government. 

The  sloop  Vandalia  arrived  at  the  Yard  in  October  of 
185G,  from  the  East  Indies,  put  out  of  commission ;  and 
her  officers  and  crew  were  detached  and  paid  off  and  the 
ship  placed  in  Ordinary. 

In  July  of  1857,  Commodore  J.  T.  Newton,  while  on  a 
leave  of  absence,  was  smitten  with  paralysis,  and  after  a 
few  hours  of  great  suffering,  expired,  surrounded  by  his 
family  and  relatives.  During  the  twenty  months  that 
Commodore  Newton  had  been  in  command  of  this  Station, 
he  had,  by  his  many  acts  of  kindness,  won  the  esteem  of 
all  classes,  and  the  entire  community  was  much  shocked 
by  his  sudden  death.  Commander  Chas.  W.  Pickering, 
being  senior  officer  present,  assumed  the  command  of  the 
Station  until  relieved  by  Captain  John  Pope  on  the  11th 


67 

day  of   August.     During  this  year  the  fine  building  for 
OfHces  and  Muster-room,  was  finished  and  occupied,  the 
entire   cost    of   which    was    $28,633.     The    appropriation 
made  in  1357  for  this  Yard  was  8104,422,  which  admitte<- 
of  many  improvenients  being  made  that  were  much  need- 
ed.    The  Head  house  was  raised  one  story  and  a  half,  and 
fitted  with  machinery ;  the  Magazine  buildings  finished,  a 
Lodge  built  for  the  Ordinary  men  of  the  Yard  at  a  cost  of 
^4845,  and  iron  fences  substituted  for  the  wooden  ones 
around  the  quarters.     The  Dry  Dock  was  in  use  the  great- 
er part  of  the  year;  the  Vandalia,  Constitution  and  sloop 
Falmouth  having  received  repairs  upon  it;  and  during  the 
year  following,  the  sloops  Portsmouth  and  Jamestown  hav- 
ing arrived  from  a  cruise,  were  both  docked  and  extensive- 
ly repaired.  • 

In  June,  the  Turkish  Minister,  M.  Said  Saleman  Effen- 
di,  visited  the  Yard  in  company  with  the  Turkish  Vice 
Admiral  Mehmed  Pasha  and  suite;  and,  were  received 
with  all  the  lionors  due  their  exalted  rank.  The  ship- 
house,  wliich,  since  the  launching  of  the  Light-vessel,  had 
been  vacant,  was  now  made  ready  to  receive  the  keel  of  a 
new  steam  sloop,  which  had  been  ordered  to  be  built  at 
this  Yard,  and  in  July  the  steam  sloop  of  war  Mohican 
was  begun.  The  Gun  Park,  Shot  Park,  Anchor  Parks 
and  small  Park,  in  front  of  the  Commandant's  house,  were 
made,  and  the  present  Flagstaff  erected  in  place  of  the 
old  one. 

In  185^,  the  large  screw  steam  ship  North  America,  be- 
longing to  the  Portland  and  European  Line,  arrived  in 
port  disabled,  having  had  a  collision  with  floating  ice,  upon 
lier  passage  across  the  ocean  ;  there  being  no  facilities  here 
for  taking  so  large  a  ship  out  of  the  water,  application  was 
made  to  the  Department  for  permission  to  repair  her  in 
the  Dry  Dock,  at  the  request  of  the  Company,  which  per- 


68 

rniysion  was  granted.  On  the  15th  day  of  February,  fs 
second  steamer  was  launched  from  the  Yard,  the  sloop  of 
war  Mohican ;  this  ship  was  the  first  screw  steamer  built 
at  this  Yard,  and  proved  in  every  way  to  be  an  excellent 
and  efficient  vessel.  During  the  year,  the  sloops  Ports- 
mouth and  Mohican  were  fitted  out  and  sailed  from  the 
Yard,  and  repairs  on  the  sloop  of  war  Dale  were  hurried 
to  completion.  The  Cumberland  sloop  of  war  arrived 
with  the  flag  of  the  Home  Squadron  and  was  paid  off  and 
put  out  of  commission.  The  Magazine  building  was  fin- 
ished and  the  drains  completed  during  this  year. 

-1860  opened  with  poor  prospects  for  the  Yard,  the  ap- 
propriations were  exhausted,  and  no  work  of  any  impor- 
tance could  be  accomplished.  The  saluting  Battery  upon 
the  wall  near  the  timber  dock  was  built  and  the  guns 
mounted.  On  the  1st  of  October,* Captain  John  Pope  was 
relieved  as  Commandant  by  Captain  G.  F.  Pierson. 

Orders  were  received  to  send  the  frigate  Constitution  to 
Annapolis  to  be  used  as  a  school  ship  for  midshipmen,  and 
Lieut.  David  D.  Porter  was  ordered  to  command  her.  Her 
crew  having  arrived  from  Boston,  she  sailed  on  the  6th  of 
August  with  a  light  breeze  from  the  North.  The  Mace- 
donian and  Marion  sloops  of  war  arrived  at  the  Yard  and 
were  ordered  out  of  commission,  and  after  being  disman- 
tled were  placed  in  Ordinary.  In  Dec.  the  Cumberland 
fitted  for  sea  and  sailed  for  New  York  under  command  of 
Capt.  John  Marston. 

The  very  threatening  aspects  which  the  political  affairs 
of  the  country  had  assumed,  caused  the  Commandant  to 
request  permission  to  fortify  the  defences  of  the  harbor, 
early  in  1861.  In  April,  the  news  of  the  attack  upon  Fort 
Sumter  by  the  Confederate  troops,  brought  affairs  to  a  cri- 
sis there,  and  the  strong  arm  of  the  Government  was 
brought  to  bear  upon  treason  wherever  it  appeared.     Loud 


69 

threats  were  made  to  burn  the  government  works  at  this 
Yard,  and  precautions  were  taken  to  double  the  guard  ; 
efficient  and  trusty  men  were  also  added  to  the  watchmen 
of  the  Yard. 

On  the  27th  of  April  the  Commandant  of  the  Station, 
received  orders,  to  put  the  Yard  on  a  war  footing  ;  fortify 
the  earth  work  on  Seavey's  Island  with  eight  inch  guns ; 
open  a  rendezvous  in  Portsmouth  for  recruiting  men  both 
for  the  Navy  and  Marine  corps.  He  was  also  empowered 
to  examine  and  appoint  officers,  subject  to  the  approval  of' 
the  Department.  The  Santee  frigate,  Marion  and  Dale 
sloops,  of  war  and  Sabine  frigate  were  fitted  out  and  sailed 
on  a  cruise.  War  was  now  considered  as  declared  with 
the  Southern  States  that  had  seceded.  All  officers  in  com- 
mand of  ships  of  war  were  instructed  to  capture,  sink, 
burn  or  destroy  vessels  on  tl^e  high  seas,  hostile  to  the  U. 
S.  Government,  or  having  on  board  articles  contraband  of 
war.  The  keels  of  two  steam  sloops  of  war  w^ere  laid,  the 
Kearsarge  and  Ossipee.  The  latter  was  launched  in  No- 
vember and  the  former  in  December.  The  Kearsarge  hav~ 
ing  made  for  herself  such  a  brilliant  history  in  the  destruc- 
tion of  the  Confederate  cruiser  Alabama,  we  will  devote  a 

little  space  in  this  brief  work  to  that  vessel. 

On  the  5th  of  February  1862,  the  steam  sloop  Kearsarge 

sailed  from  this  Yard  under  command  of  Com'd'r.  C.  W. 
Pickering ;  after  a  year  spent  in  the  Mediterranean  and 
among  the  Western  Islands  in  fruitless  search  of  the  Con- 
federate steamer  Alabama,  the  command  was  transferred 
to  Captain  J.  A.  AVinslow  late  in  1863.  After  many 
months  search,  the  rebel  vessel  was  discovered  and  block- 
aded in  the  port  of  Cherbourg,  France,  in  June,  1864. 
On  the  16th  of  June,  1864,  the  Commander  of  the  Alaba- 
ma sent  a  challenge  to  Captain  Winslow  to  meet  him  upon 
the  sea  beyond  the  limits  of  jurisdiction — the  challenge 
was  at  once  accepted. 


70 

On  Sunday  morning,  June   19th,  1864,  the   Alabama, 
having  made  all  possible   preparations  to   insure  success, 
steamed  out  of    Cherbourg   harbor  accompanied   by  the 
French  iron-clad  frigate  Couronne.     The  morning  was  a 
line  one,  the  sea  was  calm,  and  a  light  hazQ  spread    like  a 
transparent  veil   over   the   water,  adding   beauty  to   the 
scene,  without  obscuring  the  movements  of   either  ship. 
The    French  frigate  accompanied    the  Alabama    only  so 
far  as  to  make  it  certain  that  she   would  not  be    attacked 
until  beyond  the  line  of    French   jurisdiction.      A  small 
steamer  bearing  the  flag  of   the  royal  yacht  squadron  of 
England  also  came  out   of  Cherbourg;  but  this  attracted 
no  attention  at  the  time.     The   Alabama  was  discovered 
by   the  Kearsarge  at  just  20  minutes  past  10  o'clock,  and 
immediately  the  Kearsarge  w^s  cleared  for  action  and  her 
head  put  seaward  with  the  double  intention    of    avoiding 
all  question  about  jurisdiction,  and  of  drawing  the   enemy 
so  far  from  shof^  that,  in  the  event  of    her  being  disabled, 
she  could  not  escape  by  running  into  French  waters.     Hav- 
ing reached  a  point  seven  miles  from  shore,    the  Kearsarge 
was  put  about  and  steered  directly  for  her  antagonist    with 
guns  pivoted  to  starboard.     The  moment  the    Kearsarge 
came  around,  the    Alabama  sheered,  presented  her   star- 
board battery  and  slowed  her  engines.     When  at  the   dis- 
tance  of  a  mile  the  Alabama  opened  her  broadside  hoping 
to  cripple  her  antagonist,  biit,  except  cutting  some   of  her 
rigging  no    damage  was  done.     The  Kearsarge   was  now 
given  more  speed  although  no  shot  had  yet  been  fired.     A 
second  and  third  broadside  were  fired  by  the  Alabama,  but 
did  no  great  execution.     The  two  ships  were  now     distant 
aboiit  seven  hundred  yards,  and  Captain  Winslow   did  not 
deem .  it  prudent  to  expose  his  ship  to  another  raking  broad- 
side  fire,  and  accordingly  the  order  was  given  to  fire.       The 
ships  were  now  broadside  to  broadside,  and  to  prevent  the 


71 

Alabama  from  making  for  the  shore,  the  Kearsarge  was 
kept  at  full  speed  with  the  design  of  running  under  the 
stern  of  the  Alabama  so  as  to  secure  a  position  for  raking. 
To  avoid  this  the  Alabama,  being  also  under  a  full  head 
of  steam,  was  sheered  so  as  to  keep  her  broadside  exposed 
to  that  of  her  antagonist ;  thus  both  vessels  were  forced 
into  a  circuhir  movement,  steaming  in  opposite  directions 
around  a  common  centre,  tiiis  centre  shifting  with  each 
revolution,  on  account  of  a  current  setting  westward  at 
the  rate  of  three  miles  per  hour.  Had  the  action  been 
fought  in  parallel  lines  with  the  Alabama  heading  in  shore , 
she  would  have  reached  the  line  of  jurisdiction  and  thus 
escaped;  but  by  being  compelled  to  steam  in  circles  she 
was  five  miles  from  the  shore  at  the  close  of  the  action. 

*  The  action  lasted  for  one  hour,  the  heavy  shot  of  the 
Kearsarge  telling  fearfully  against  the  sides  of  the  Alaba- 
ma, It  became  apparent  to  Capt.  Winslow  that  the  in-, 
tention  of  Capt.  Semmes  was  now  to  escape,  and  the 
quickened  fire  of  the  Kearsarge  told  the  fate  of  the  Rebel 
was  sealed ;  she  was  discovered  to  be  sinking,  her  flag  was 
struck  and  in  a  few  minutes,  throwing  her  bow  high  in  air, 
she  sank  stern  first  below  the  waters  of  the  channel. 

It  is  not  the  design  of  the  writer  to  make  comments  on 
the  results  of  battles  etc.,  that  being  out  of  his  province, 
so  he  leaves  the  reader  to  search  history,  should  he  wish 
to  know  the  perfidious  part  taken  after  this  action  by  the 
yacht  Deerhound  in  stealing  the  prisoners  from  their  cap- 
tors.    It  is  enough  for  us  to  trace  our  little  ship  to  victory. 

The  steam  sloops  Sebago,  Mahaska,  Sacramento,  Sono- 
ma and  Connemaugh  were  commenced  this  year ;  tht;  two 
former  were  finished  during  the  Autumn  but  the  two  last 
not  until  the  Spring  of  1862.  The  Yard  now  being 
worked  to  its  fullest  capacity,  over  two  thousand  work- 
men   were  employed.     Additions  were  built  to  the  Ord- 


1:L 

nance  building,  and  the  Inspection  building  of  provisions 
and  clothing  also  built,  at  a  cost  of  $12,580. 

During  the  years  1862-3,  the  following  ships  and  gun- 
boats were  built,  launched  and  fitted  for  sea  at  this  Yard : 
— Sebago,  Sonoma,  Sacramento,  Connemaugh,  Mahaska, 
Ossipee  and  Sassacus.  The  Constellation,  Colorado  and 
Minnesota  were  also  repaired  and  fitted  for  sea,  and  work 
during  these  two  3'ears  had  progressed  upon  the  steam  frig- 
ate Franklin  so  as  to  insure  her  completion  in  a  sliort  time 
should  she  be  needed.  Several  temporary  sheds  were  erec- 
ted about  the  Yard  to  accomodate  the  different  depart- 
ments, which  were  now  being  crowded  to  their  utmost  ex- 
tent with  work. 

During  the  year  1863,  the  following  named  steam  sloops 
and  gunboats  were  built,  launched  and  fitted  for  sea — Pa- 
tuxet,  Nipsic,  Shawmut  and  the  frigate  St.  Lawrence ;  the 
bark  Fernan^ina,  steam  sloops  Alabama,  Decota  and  Aga- 
w^am  were  repaired  and  fitted  for  sea,  in  addition  to  those 
already  mentioned.  On  the  18th  of  Nov.  the  keel  of  the 
iron-clad  Passaconaway  was  laid  in  ship-house  No.  4.  On 
the  4th  of  February  the  Porter's  Lodge  took  fire  and  was 
entirely  consumed  in  a  short  time,  a  heavy  wind  blowing 
from  the  N.  W.  and  the  mercury  being  13  degrees  below 
zero  renderedall  assistance  impossible. 

A  temporary  barracks  was  erected  upon  Seavey's  Island 
for  the  colored  soldiers  who  were  ordered  from  Hamp- 
ton Roads  to  the  fort  on  that  island ;  these  troops  were 
commanded  by  white  officers. 

The  year  1864  opened  gloomily  for  the  country;  the 
war  dragged  along,  and  the  Yard  still  continued  to  teem 
with  workmen  and  the  wharves  to  be  crowded  with  ves- 
sels. The  sloop  of  war  Vandalia  had  been  ordered  to  this 
Station  for  a  guard  as  well  as  a  receiving  ship.  On  the 
23d  day  of  January,  the  ship-of-the-line  New  Hampshire 


73 

was  launched,  (she  was  the  Alabama  74,  whose  keel  was 
laid  on  the  15th  of  April  1817,)  having  been  upon  the 
stocks  47  years.  She  was  fitted  as  a  store  ship  and  sent 
to  Port  Royal,  S.  C. 

During  this  year  the  Colorado  was  repaired,  docked  and 
fitted  for  sea;  two  tugs  built  and  launched,  the  Port  Fire 
and  Blue  Light;  the  iron  clad  Agamenticus  launched  and 
fitted  for  sea;  Iosco  taken  into  Dock  and  repaired;  San 
Jacinto  repaired  and  fitted ;  the  steam  sloops  of  war  Pis- 
cataqua,  Minnetonka  and  Illinois  built;  the  frigate  Frank- 
lin finished  and  launched  snd  the  sloop  Contoocook 
launched,  also  several  of  the  small  purchased  vessels 
were  docked  and  refitted.  The  Boat  and  Carpenter  shop 
was  built  this  year  by  contract,  Messrs.  Clement  &  Cres- 
sey  doing  the  work.  Numbers  of  vessels  were  now  arriv- 
ing at  the  Yard  from  Southern  ports,  and  many  cases  of 
yellow  fever  were  discovered  which  caused  much  alarm  in 
this  vicinity. 

In  July  the  De  Soto  arrived  and  after  remaining  a  short 
time  in  the  lower  harbor  steamed  up  to  the  Yard  and  Avag 
put  out  of  commission.  Immediately  the  fever  broke  out 
among  the  workman  on  this  ship  and  in  many  cases  proved 
fatal !  The,  sail  Loft  was  closed,  the  Yard  put,  in  Quarantine 
and  the  ship  removed  to  the  lower  harbor. 

In  October  Commodore  T.  Bailey  relieved  Commodore 
Peirson  as  Commandant  of  the  station. 

With  the  New  Year  1865,  came  the  dawn  of  peace,  and 
April  brought  an  order  from  the  Departn^ent  to  fire  a 
salute  of  one  hundred  guns  in  honor  of  the  fall  of  Rich- 
mond and  the  surrender  of  the  Rebel  army  under  Genl. 
Lee.  While  the  people  were  rejoicing  at  this  success  a^ 
perhaps  no  nation  ever  rejoiced  before,  the  appalling  news 
of  the  assassination  of  President  Lincoln  spread  a  gloom 
which  hung  like  a  funeral  pall  over  the  entire  nation. 


74 

The  war  was  now  regarded  as  oyer,  and  large  nnmbers 
of  vessels  were  arriving  at  the  Yard,  to  be  put  out  of 
commission  and  sold.  The  rednction  of  the  force  em- 
ployed on  the  Yard  left  but  a  small  number,  and  those 
were  mostly  in  the  Construction  department. 

In  1866  it  became  obvious  that  the  adjoining  ishmd 
would  be  purchased  by  the  Government  as  the  matter  had 
been  brought  to  the  attention  of  Congress  some  time 
during  the  war. 

In  the  same  year  the  purchase  was  effected  and  1105.000 
paid  to  the  owners,  a  d^ed  having  been  made  giving  the 
Government  a  clear  title.  This  island  contains  about  one 
hundred  and  five  acres,  with  an  extensive  water  front 
having  bold  water  the  entire  length;  the  general  ajDpear- 
ance  of  the  island  is  uneven  and  will  admit  of  much  filling 
in  and  levelling  ;  a  fine  quality  of  granite  can  be  quarried 
upon  the  island  sufficient  for  foundations  and  quay  walls. 

The  stream  separating  the  twc  can  be  filled  in,  and  the 
islands  made  one,  the  area  thus  added  will  in  all  probabili- 
ty be  sufficient  for  the  requirements  of  the  Yard  for  many 
years  to  come. 

The  wings  of  the  Office  building  were  raised  and  exten- 
ded, a  crane  built;  and  a  new  steam  fire  engine  added  to 
the  fire  department  of  the  yard,  this  3"ear. 

In  the  month  of  October  1867,  Commodore  Joseph  Lan- 
man  relieved    Commodore    Bailey  as    Commandant.     The 
great  demand  for  labor  which   had   existed  in  all   the    de- 
partments of  the  yard,  now,  since  the   termination  of  hos" 
tilities,  having  ceased  the. force  was   at  once  reduced ;  al- 
though a  sufficient  number   were  retained  under  the  cogni- 
zance of  the  Bureau  of  Yards  and  Docks,  to  make  the  addi- 
tions to  buildings  etc.,  which  had  been  called  for,  by  the  ex- 
treme necessity  for  room. 
Coal  sheds  were  erected   on   Seavey's   island,    and   resi- 


dences  furinshed  upon  that  island  for  the  Naval  Construc- 
tor and  ( 'ivil  Enoineer  attached  to  the  Yard  ;  an  iron  ])uild- 
ing  erected  for  a  boiler  shop,  for  Steam  Engineering  depart- 
ment at  a  cost  of  $15,000.  The  U.  S.  S.  "Benecia"  wn& 
finished  and  launched,  and  the  steam  sloop  ''Monongahela'' 
was  taken  upon  the  railway-  to  be  rebuilt,  having  been 
thrown  ashore  by  the  tidal  wave  following  the  great  earth- 
qnake  at  the  Island  of  St.  Croix,  W.  I.,  the  year  previous. 
Diirin'j;'  the  year  following,  1869,  Commodore  J.  A.  Wins- 
low  relieved  Commodore  Lanman.  Vessels  continued  to 
arrive  from  Southern  ports  and  the  necessity  of  at  once 
establishing  a  Quarantine  station  somewhere  in  the  lower 
harbor  became  at  once  apparent,  and  the  attention  of  the 
Department  was  called  to  the  fact.  The  town  of 
Kittery  offered  the  island  at  the  mouth  of  the  river,  known 
as  Wood  Island,  to  the  Department  to  ])e  used  as  a  Quar- 
antine for  all  vessels  with  infectious  diseases  on  boaid* 
The  offer  being  accepted,  in  the  month  of  July  an  order 
was.  received  from  tlie  Bureau  of  Yards  &  Docks  "to  erect, 
with  all  possible  despatch,,  a  bnilding  upon  th«Msland  (given 
by  the  town  of  Kittery)  for  the  use  of  the    sick,  who    are 

expected  to  arrive  at  Portsmouth  in  about  a  month  or  five 
weeks  from  this  date.*' 

Mr.  Chandler  the  Civil  Engineer  of   the   Yard    was    at 

once  entrusted  with  this  work;  and  by  removing  the  old 
barracks  from  Seavey's  Island,  and  transporting  them  tf» 
Wood  Island,  and  using  almost  saperhimian  exertions, 
the  present  commodious  and  comfortable  buildings  were 
erected.  The  necessity  of  haste  will  be  at  once  apparent, 
for  as  the  workmen  were  leaving  the  Island  the  yellow 
fever  patients  were  being  brought  to  the  building,  the 
ships  having  arrived  sooner  than  was  expected. 

The  time  occupied  in  erecting  this  work,  and  of  build- 
ing a  wharf,  was  just  thirty  two  days  the  cost  of  the  same 
was  '$2,500. 


76 

The  fire  engine  house  was  also  built  this  year  at  a  cost 
of  8,940  dollars  and  the  wings  which  were  added  by 
Commodore  Howell  several  years  after,  at  an  expense  o 
$800  made  the  entire  structure  cost  $9,400.  In  July  1870, 
*  Commodore  A.  M.  Pennock  relieved  Admiral  Winslow  in 
command  of  the  Yard.  But  little  improvement  was  made 
to  the  Yard  owing  to  the  meagre  appropriations  for  that 
purpose  during  the  years  1870-71  and  72. 

The  ''Narragansett"  was  fitted  out,  work  was  progress- 
ing on  the  ''Monongahela,"  and  the  sloop  "Illinois"  which 
had  been  completely  destroyed  by  dry  rot  in  the  shiphouse, 
was  taken  to  pieces.  Admiral  D.  G.  Faragut  while  on  a 
visit  to  his  relative  the  (Commandant  was  taken  ill  and 
after  a  brief  period  of  suffering,  expired  on  the  14th  of  Aug. 

In  the  death  of  Admiral  Farras^ut  the    whole  nation   la 
mented  its  loss,  as  an  officer  and  skillful  sailor   his  fame  is- 
world  wide.     His  valor   and  patriotism   were    never   ques 
tioned  ;  and  modesty  which  always  make  a  really  true  man, 
was  peculiarly  characteristic  of  him. 

On  the  10th  of  October  1872,  Commodore  John  C. 
Howell  releived  Admiral  Pennock  who  on  his  promotion 
was  ordered  to  command  the  Asiatic  Squadron. 

The  appropriation  for  this  yard  having  been  increased, 
work  was  at  once  begun  in  the  various  departments  of  the 
yard.  A  chain-shed  was  built ;  the  Floating  Dock  exten- 
sively repaired  ;  a  truss  bridge  built  to  connect  the  yard 
with  Seavey's  Island  ;  Gas  pipes  laid.  Gas  Works  built 
and  Gas  introduced  for  lighting  the  Yard  and  Quarters  ; 
Wharf  and  Bridge  built  on  Seavey's  Island  ;  Tool-House 
built  and  Portico,  etc.,  added  to  the  Comdt's  Quarters.  In 
addition  to  these  repairs  and  improvements  the  beautiful 
Waiting  house  at  the  Portsmouth  landing  was  built  to 
take  the  place  of  the  miserable  shed  which  had  been  in 
use  many  years. 


77 

The  *'Monongahela"  was  rebuilt  and  refitted  and  the 
Marion  steam  sloop  launched.  Two  steam  sloops  of  war 
were  begun  in  1873  and  both  launched  the  year  following. 
The  "Enterprise*'  being  the  first  of  these  two  sloops 
lauuched  :  she  was  built  by  contract  by  Mr.  J.  Griffiths, 
the  Government  furnishing  every  thing  excepting  labor. 
The  sloop  ''Essex"  the  other  of  the  two  sloops  constructed 
at  the  yard  was  built  entirely  by  the  Government.  Much 
difficulty  was  experienced  during  the  Summer  of  1874  in 
supplying  the  yard  with  fresh  water,  owing  to  the  dryness 
of  the  season,  in  fact  it  wbs  the  occasion  of  much  anxiety, 
as  the  various  workshops  in  the  yard  are  dependent  upon 
fresh  water  to  fill  their  boilers.  The  fact  was  laid  before 
the  Department,  and  several  propositions  were  made 
one  was  to  cover  an  artesian  well  on  the  island,  the  esti- 
mated cost  of  which  did  not  fall  short  of  $60,000  dollars- 
owing  to  the  peculiar  formation  of  the  strata.  By  an  acci^ 
dental  discovery  of  several  springs  upon  Seavey's  Island 
it  occured  to  the  Commandant  that  a  dam  might  be  so 
constructed  as  to  save  the  water  that  escaped  and  form  a 
pond  in  the  valley  which  was  already  swampy  It  was 
done  at  small  cost  and  in  a  short  time  a  large  pond  was 
formed  which  is  now  a  never-failing  source  of  supply,  being 
conducted  by  pipes  to  a  cistern  on  the  yard.  The  entire 
cost  of  this  work  including  a  steam  engine  for  pumping 
the  water  into  the  reservior  for  distribution,  was  less  than 
five  hundred  dollars.  This  pond  has  never  failed  to  sup- 
ply the  yard  with  water,  and  in  the  winter  also  with  a 
large  supply  of  heavy  ice,  which  is  stored  for  the  use  of 
the  Yard,  and  the  sick  at  Quarantine  :  several  hundred 
tons  of  this  refreshing  commodity  is  thus  saved  every  year.i 

Kittery  Bridge  which  for  sometime  had  been  considered 
as  unsafe,  was  extensively  repaired  and  put  in  complete 
condition. 


In  October  1874    Commodore    Howell    was    ordered   to 

Washington  as  Chief  of  the  Bureau  of  Yards  and  Docks  and 

was  relieved  from  command  of  the   Yard    by    Commodore 

Andrew  Bryson  the  present  Commandant. 

During  the    years   1874  and  1875  the    U.  S.  .  Steamers 

Ticonderoga,  Lancaster  and  Kansas  arrived  with  the  yellow^ 
fever  on  board  and  after  a  strict  Quarantine  w^ere  removed 
to  the  Yard.     The  Plymouth    was   fitted  out  and  sailed, 
orders  were  received  to  hasten  the  equipment  of  the  sloops 
Marion  and  Enterprise,  and  at   the  close  of  the    year  1875 
the  new  sloop  Marion  was  put   in  commission    and   sailed 
on  a  cruise.     The  Frigate  Sabine  which  had  for  three  years 
past  been  Receiving  ship  at  this  yard    was    fitted  up    as    a 
training  ship  for  boys,  under  the  cognizance  of  the  Bureau 
of  Equipment  and  Recruiting,  and  one  hundred  boys   were 
enlisted  and  under  training  at  the  close  of  this    year.  Since 
the  present  commandant  assumed  the  command  there  have 
been  but  very  small  sums    alloted  this  Yard,  and   conse 
quently  little  could  be  done  excepting    the    equipping    of 
the    ships    mentioned,    and  preserving  the  property     en- 
trusted to  his  care.     Quantities  of  building  material  have 
been  received  and  placed  in  the  Wet  dock    for   preserving 

it,  and  the  timber  sheds  are  well  supplied. 

We  have  now  arrived  at  the  close  of   one  hundred  years 

review  of  this  important  Y^ard  :  step  by  step,  we  have 
traced  its  growth  from  infancy  to  manhood.  We  have 
followed  also  the  immense  strides  that  improvement  has 
taken,  both  in  the  construction  of  ships,  and  in  ordnance  ; 
these  we  have  traced  from  the  bluff  bows,  high  poops,  and 
six  pounder  guns  of  the  frigate  Falkland  in  1690,  to  the 
yacht-like  model,  powerful  armament  and  elegant  engines 
of  the  sloop  Marion  now  lying  at  the  wharf  and  ready 
to  sail  on  a  cruise ;  the  wide  superiority  of  the  one  over 
the  other,  is  greater  than  even  the  lapse  of  time  would 
seem  to  indicate. 


79 

The  ''Giant  Steam,"  so  modestly  and  so  cautiously  in- 
troduced on  the  island  now  reA^olves  the  wheels  of  the 
entire  establisment. 

The  deep  water  front  and  wharves  accessible  at  all 
^easoQS,  bear  testimony  to  the  sound  judgment  of  those 
through  wdiose  influence  this  site  was  secured  for  Naval 
Station.  While  the  harbors  of  Boston,  New  York,  and 
Philadeiphia,  are  obstructed  with  ice  to  a  great  extent 
during  the  severe  Winters,  the  waters  of  the  Piscataqua 
ebb  and  flow  as  the  pulses  of  nature  free  and  deep.  The 
heat  of  Summer  is  modified  by  the  hills  of  New  Hampshire 
the  Switzerland  of  America,  making  this  port  the  refuge, 
of  fever  afflicted  ships,  which  li^sten  from  the  tropics  to 
breath  the  health  inspiring  air.  A  station  having  so  good 
a  record,  and  possessing  so  many  peculiar  advantages,  we 
doubt  not  will  be  cherished  by  the  Government,  till  de- 
veloped and  furnished  with  means  for  constructing  lie 
finest  of  ships. 

Nothing  remains  to  remind  us  of  the  early  days  of  our 
republic  save  indeed  the  ''Old  Elm  Tree,"  noAV  standing  in 
the  grounds  of  the  Commandant.  That  has  witnessed 
the  scenes  of  the  past  two  hundred  years  unchanged  ;  the 
restoration  of  the  Stuarts,  and  the  surrender  of  Lee's 
army,  are  events  which  are  embraced  within  the  life  of 
this  venerable  patriarch,  and  it  still  stands  the  connecting 
link   between  the  present  and  the  past. 

'-  Old  Tree :  .still  brave  the  Storm  " 


JI^^^Errata:     On  page  12,  ninth  line  and  on  third  line 
from  bottom  of  page,  please  read  1776  instead  of  1775. 


so 


List  of  Vessels  of  War  built  at  this  Station. 


Jffamea, 

Falkland, 

Bedford, 

America, 


Guns. 

54 
32 

60 


Class, 

Friofate, 


Tear. 

1690 
1696 
1749 


Nantes. 


Otitis,        Class. 


Year, 


Built  for  the  Royal  Navy. 


Built  for  the  Colonial  Navy,  from  1775  to  1800. 


Raleigh,  22        Frigate, 

Rano^er,  18         Sloop, 

Crescent,*       32        Frigate, 
Congress,        38  '• 

*Pre8ented  to  Algiers. 


1775  America,      74  Ship  of  Line  1776 

1776  Portsmouth  24  Sloop  1797 
1778  Scammel,  14  Schooner  1798 
1799 


Built  for  the  Navy  of  the  Uniied  States. 


Washington, 
Alabama, 

changsd 
]?•  Hampshiro 
Porpoise, 
Santee, 


to     > 
hire.  J 


74 
74 


Ship 


Concord, 

Preble, 

Congress, 

Saratoga, 

Portsmouth, 

Saranac, 


Launched 
11      Schooner 
44        Frigate, 

Launched 
24 
20 
50 
24 
24 
11 


Sloop, 

Frigate, 
Sloop, 

S.  Frigate, 


Light  Ship,  (for  Nantucket,) 
Jamestown,*  24         Sloop, 
Mohican,  9  Steam  Sloop, 

Pa8saconaway4     Ironclad, 
Port  Fire,  Tug, 

Blue  Light, 

Agamenticus,  4    Ironclad; 
Piscataqua,     15  Sloop  of  War, 
Minnetonka,    "  '' 

Illinois,  '*  " 


1814 

1817 

1864 
1820 
1820 
1855 
1827 
1839 
1841 
1842 
1843 
1848 
1855 
1857 
1857 
1864 
1864 
1864 
1864 
1864 
1864 
1864 
*Rebuilt. 


Ossipee,  9 

Kearsarge,  9 
Sebago.  9 

Mahaska,  9 
Sacremento,10 
Sonoma,       10 

ConnemaughlO 
Sasacus,  10 
Franklin,  60 
Patuxet,  9 
Nipsic,  9 

Shawmut,  10 
Decota.*  10 
Contoocook,15 
Benecia,        11 

Monong^ahela*\0 
Marion,  10 
Enterprise,  7 
Essex,  7 


Steam  Sloop,1861 

'^      1861 

^-   1861 

^'   1861 

'*   1862 

"   1862 

"   1862 

^'    '-   1863 

S.  Frigate,  1863 

Steam  Sloop,  1863 

''      1863 

''  ''       1863 

••   1863 

•'    -^   1864 

''  ''       1865 

''  '*   1869 

•'   1873 

''   1873 

1874 


APPENDIX. 

By  the  kindness  of  William  L.  Dwiulit  Esquire,  of  Portsmouth  N- 
H.  a  descendant  of  Captain  Thomas  Thompson  U.  S-  N.  I  am  enabled 
to  insert  some  very  interesting:  original  documents.  The  following-  is 
a  copy  of  the  commission  of  Captain  Thompson  of  the  Frigate 
'•E^leiofh." 


In  Congress. 

The  Delesrates  of  the  United  States  of  New   Hampshire.   Massachu- 
Sfctts-Bav.  Khode-Island,  Connecticut.  New   York.  New-Jersey.  Penn- 
sylvania, Delaware.  Maryland,  Virginia.  North  Carolina  and  Georgia 
To. 

Thomas  Thompson.  Esquire. 

*We.  reposins:  especial  Trust  and  Confidence  m 
yoai-  Patriotism.  Valor.  Conduct  and  Fidelity.  Do.  by  these  Presents, 
constitute  and  appoint  you  to  be  Captain  in  the  Navy  of  the  United 
States  of  North  America,  fitted  out  for  the  defence  of  American  Liberty, 
and  for  repellitig  every  hostile  Invasion  thereof.  You  are  therefore 
carefully  and  diligently  to  discharge  the  Duty  of  Captain  by  doing 
and  performing  all  manner  of  Things  tiiereunto  belonging. 

And  we  do  strictly  charge  and  require  all  Officers.  Marines  and 
Seamen  under  your  command  to  be  obedient  to  your  Orders  as  Cap- 
tain. And  you  are  to  observe  and  follow  such  Orders  and  Directions 
from  Time  to  Time,  as  vou  shall  receive  from  this  or  a  future  Congress. 
Dated  at  Philadelphia  October  10th  1776. 

By  order  of  the  Congress. 

John  Hancock. 
President. 

(Attest,)    Chas.  Thompson,  Sect'y- 

*Number  Six.    The  number  of  Commission  determines  the  rank, 

John  Hancock, 

Pres't. 


In  the  Travels  of  the  Marquis  de  Chastelleux.  who  was  in  Ports- 
mouth in  1782,  it  is  said  of  Captain  Thompson  :  "-That  he  was  born  in 
England,  he  is  a  good  seaman  and  an  excellent  ship  builder  and  is 
besides  a  sensible  man,  -'greatly  attached  to  his  new  country,  which  it 
is  only  fifteen  years  since  he  adopted." 

In  the  "Journals  of  Congress''  under  date  of  Thursday  June  6th 
1776  is  the  following.  ''Eesolved  that  Thomas  Thompson  be  ap- 
pointed Captain  of  the  frigate  built  at  New  Hampshire."  And  again 
under  date  of  Oct.  10th  1776  we  find  a  second  commission  as  Captain 
in  the  Navy  of  the  United  States  granted  him,  making  him  number  six 
on  the  list  of  Captains ;  this  is  the  commission,  a  copy  of  which  is 
given  above. 

With  regard  to  the  loss  of  the  -'Alfred"  mentioned  upon  page  15. 
I  have  endeavored  to  find  some  record  of  the  court  martial  which  was 
called  upon  Captain  Thompson^  upon  his  return  to  the  United  States. 
In  the  ''Joarnals  of  Cong-ress"  under  date,  August  5th,  1778,  is  the  fol- 


82 


lowing.     "'Ordered— That   the  proceedinj^s  of  the  trial   "'oi"  Captain 
Thompson  lie  on  the  table.'" 

Cooper  in  his ''History  of  the  Navy'' passes  by  the  subject  of  the 
court  martial  of  this  ^-allaiit  offiicer.  so  sli^jfhtly  as  to  leave  the  impres- 
"sion  that  Captain  Thompson,  had  been  guilty  of  some  neglect;  he  says, 
'•Captain  Thompson  was  blamed  in  the  journals  of  the  day.  for  not 
Sliding  his  consort  on  this  occasion,  and  he  appears  to  have  been 
suspended  in  the  command  of  his  ship  to  await  the  result  Of  a  trial. 

The  truth  is  that  the  two  ships  -'Kaleigir"  and  "'Alfred,*'  were  deep- 
ly laden  with  military  stores  for  the  Government  of  the  United  States. 
the  loss  of  which  would  have  been  disasterous  to  the  colonies  at  that 
time,  and  Captain  Thompson  not  only  showed  his  good  judgement  in 
making  good  his  escape,  but  in  all  probability  obeyed  his  private  in- 
structions from  Congress.  To  risk  the  uncertain  result  of  single  com- 
bat when  the  fate  almost  of  an  entire  nation,  depended  upon  the  safe 
arrival  at  home  of  his  ship,  loaded  as  she  was  with  arms  for  Washing- 
ton's army,  was  not  the  character  of  a  "sensible  man." 

He  displayed  upon  his  outward  trip  a  knowledge  of  seamanship  and 
courage  of  no  inferior  order  when  he  sailed  into  the  fleet  of  sixty  sail  of 
vessels,  and  singling  out  the  commodore,  all  this  in  signal  distance  of 
three  sloops  of  war,  attacked  him.  The  state  of  New  Hampshire  to 
show  that  she  had  not  lost  confidence  in  his  valor  and  patriotism  ap- 
pointed him  Colonel  of  Artillery.  His  commission  as  Colonel  is  signed 
by  Governor  John  Langdon,  and  is  dated  the  lith  day  of  August  1785. 

Captain  Thompson  died  at  Portsmouth  in  1809. 

LIST    OF    OFFICERS    AND   PETTY   OFFICERS    OF  THE  U.  S. 


FRIGATE  RALEIGH.  August,  1775. 


Names 
Thomas  Thompson 
Peter  Shores. 
Josiah  Shackford. 
Hople}^  Yeaton, 
Thomas  Manning. 
John  Yeaton. 
Robert  Curtis 
John  Adams. 
John  Jackson. 
John  Quinn. 
George  J.  Osborn, 
Stephen  Meads. 
Nath'l  Thwing. 
William  Bray. 
William  Cambridge. 
Simeon  Fernald. 
Ben'j  Dam. 
John  Frost. 
Sam  McClintock. 
Rich'd  Littlefield. 
Dan'l  Durgan. 
Dan'l  Lang. 
Rich'd  Langdon. 
Sam'l  Parcher. 


Rank 
Commander 
1st  Lieut. 
2d 
4th 

Master 
Mate 

Purser 
Surgeon 
Surg'  Mate 
Cap't  Marines 
1st.  Lt.  Marines 
2d     " 
Boatswain 
Gunner 
Carpentei' 
Sailmaker 
Midshipman 


Capt's  Clerk 
Ste\vard 


Where  belonging 
Portsmouth 


Kittery 

Exeter 

New^  York 

Boston 

Portsmouth 

England 

Portsmoutii 

Kittery 

Portsmouth 


New  Hampshire 


83 


New  Hainpsliire 
Portsmouth 


Cook 

Mas't  at  Arms 
Gun's  Mate 
Yeoman 
Corp's  Matf' 
Boat's  Yeoman 
Capt's  Steward 
Quartermaster 


Newburyport 
Portsmouth 


Wm.  Ward.  Coxswain 

Robert  AVhipple.  Armorer 

Robert  Coclcran.  ( "ooper 

James  Furlong.  Boat's  Mate 

Henry  Williams. 

Philip  McCann. 

Wm  Stevens. 

Henry  Gate. 

Francis  Little. 

Nicholas  Bufford. 

Ebenezer  Pray. 

Mathias  Bell.' 

Joseph  Clements. 

Thomas  Fassmore. 

John  Mendum.  "'  '' 

Wm.  Mendum.  "' 

Peter  Merserve.  "  '' 

John  Fernald.  "  *' 

June  6th  1776 
''Resolved ;  that  Thomas   Thompson  be  appointed  Captain   *'of  the 
rigate  built  in  New  Hampshire." 

July  22d  1776. 
''The  Marine  Committee  havin«-  recommended  the  following  gentle- 
men  for  officers  of  the  Raleigh,  namely.  Peter  Shores  John  Wheel- 
wright, Josiah  Shackford,  Lieutenants;  George  Jerry  Osborne  Captain 
of  the  Marines;  Stephen  Meads,  first  lieutenant,  Nathaniel  Twing 
second  lieutenant.  Resolved  :  That  they  be  accepted  and  that  com- 
missions be  granted  them  accordingly. 

September  9th  1776. 
Resolved :     That  in  all  Continental   Commissions  and  other   instru- 
ments, where,   heretofore     the  words   'LTnited   Colonies'   have    been 
used,  the  stile  be  altered,  for  the   future,  to   the  'United  States.' 

October  lOth  1776. 
The  Marine  committee  reported  that  they  have  had  under  consider- 
ation the  rank  of  Captains  of  the  Navy,  and  agreed  to  a  report  w^hich 
was  read ;  wiiereupon  Resolved.  That  the  rank  of  the  Captains  be  as 
follows  :  (Here  follows  a  list  of  twenty  four  Captains,  with  the  names 
and  rate  of  the  ships  to  which  they  were  appointed,  in  which  Thomas 
Thompson  is  named  as  the  sixth,  to  be  Captain  of  the  Raleigh,  32  guns) 


In  a  note,  in  the  translation  of  the  Travels  of  the  Marquis  de  Chas- 
telleux.  page  310,  written  by  the  translator,  probably  in  1786,  or  1787, 
it  is  stated  that  'The  America'  is  now  at  Brest,  and  is  esteemed  one  ol 
the  handsomest  ships  in  the  French  Navy." 

Toulon  Feby  4th  1876. 
My  DEAR  Mr.  Fentress. 

Yours  of  the  1st  ulto.  was  received,  and  1  feel 
sorry  that  I  cannot  aid  you,  in  more  clearly  tracing  the  ship.  The 
record  that  was  found  by  M.  Lebeau,  an  extract  from  which  I  sent 
you  in  my  first  letter,  is  all  that  can  be  found,  of  any  kind  or  descrip- 


tion  of  the  ship,  altho  in  a  Lo.sr  Book  is  a  mention  of  the  arrival  oi 
'•rAmerique" '"74  ",  at  this  Station  in  Oct  1791.  I  do  not  think  that 
there  is  any  doubt  about  the  ship  captured,  beinofthe  ship  that  waa  built 
at  Portsmouth,  she  was  probably  rebuilt,  and  that  would  explain  the 
term  '"neuf "  which  yon  mention,  i  would  yot  rely  too  much  upon 
the  dimensions  as  quoted,  for  it  is  more  than  probable,  that  they  were 
not  exactly  correct. 

T  think  that  enou2:h   has  been    found   to  identify    the   America  cap- 
tured as  the  America  presented  to  B'rance  i>y   the  U.  S.  Governiuent. 
Wishing  you  every  happiness 

I  am  Sir 

Yours  truly 

J.  G.  Plattner. 


From  Sir  Wm,  Pepperrell  to  Gov.  B.  Wentworth. 

March,  1747. 
Sir: 

Th J  Honorable  Peter  Warren  Esq.  havhitr  signitled  to  me  in  a 
letter  dated  the  24-th  of  October  last  that  the  Right  Honorable,  the 
Lords  Commissioners  of  the  Admiralty  by  letter  to  bins,  dated  1 3th 
of  March  last  had  directed  him  to  build  four  ships  of  war  in  ISlew  Eng- 
land, two  of  them  of  twenty -four  guns  and  two  of  forty-four  guns,  and 
the  said  Peter  Warren  Esquire,  having  in  his  aforementioned  letter  to 
me.  desired  that  I  would  ujidertake  to  agree  with  some  shipwright  or 
shipwrights  for  the  erecting  and  building  one  of  the  said  ships  of  forty- 
four  guns  in  Pascataqua.  and  whereas  I  have  been  treating  with  Col. 
Nathaniel  Messerve  of  this  provence,  and  have  proposed  his  coming 
under  contract  for  his  Majesty's  service  in  England,  and  beinsi  desirous 
o{  advice  concerning  the  value  of  such  a  ship.  I  beg  you  will  be 
pleased  to  appoint,  three  or  more  gentlemen  of  probity,  skill,  and 
judgement  in  ship-building,  to  take  the  premises  under  consideration, 
and  report  in  writing  to  your  Excellency  as  soon  as  may  be.  what 
such  a  ship  is  worth  per  ton,  to  be  built  and  completely  furnished  in 
the  manner  aforesaid. 

I  am  Sir  Your  humble  Serv't 

William  Pepperrell  Bar't 

To  His  Excellency. 

Governor  Bekning  Wentw^orth, 

Portsmouth. 


Gov.  B.  Wentworth  ordered  Joshua  Pierce,  Jotham  Odione,  and 
Mark  Hunkiug  Wenthworth  to  estimate  the  value  of  snch  a  ship,  who 
reported  nine  pounds  per  ton  as  a  fair  price  for  government  to  give 
for  the  vessel,  to  be  completely  iitted  with  forty-four  guns. 

This  undertaking  opened  a  correspondence  between  Sir.  William,  and 
the  Lords  of  the  Admiralty,  who  furnished  liim  with  models  and  di- 
rections, and  honored  his  drafts  while  the  vessels  were  building.  The 
ship  built  at  Portsmouth  was  called  the  ''America"  and  was  launched 
on  the  4th  day  of  May  1749  ;  when  finished,  she  was  loaded  with  spars 
and  naval  stores  and  sent  to  London  under  convoy  having  only  one 
tier  of  guns  mounted.  She  was  esteemed  one  of  the  best  frigates  in 
the  British  Navy. 

Parson's  Life  of  Sir  Wm.  Pepperrell. 


BOSTON 


COLLEGE 


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